Love Makes Turtles Do Strange Things
by The Light of Reason
Summary: What if you could live a completely different life after 19 years in a sewer? The TMNT find themselves in this situation and they must choose between the life they once knew and four girls who have captured their hearts. Love, they learn, is crazy.
1. Technological Breakthrough

_Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT. They are not mine, nor will they ever be (unless I find a way to trick/seduce Donatello).  
Hello all! I sure hope you enjoy my story, it's my first attempt at a fan fiction so please, be nice. I do accept constructive criticism, but if this story makes you want to run for the hills, give it a chance. You may be surprised later on. Enjoy!  
PS-This has been edited on March 6__th__ of 2010. Just so you know _:)

The sleeping form of Raphael in the old brown leather chair greets as one enters the lair. Mikey is sitting not far off on the tattered blue couch playing video games, and Leonardo sits cross legged in a serene corner, meditating.

'_Master Splinter has been in his room all morning'_ Leo muses, but then shrugs it off. _'He's probably meditating.'_

Donatello's lab is alive with sounds, the turtle making impressive figures and calculations, reviewing diagrams, and tinkering with a small object, behavior we would merely regard as Don being Don. However, today is different. Donatello has been awake for 82 hours straight, as the dark circles beneath his usually bright eyes prove. However, the incredible focus he has on his work doesn't allow this fact to hinder his productivity. After all, this is science we're talking about, and his excitement outweighs his drowsiness.

"Let's see, if I change the length of the out put wire, and I move the molecular compressor here…"he mutters to himself, delicately moving the parts around. Suddenly he freezes. All the calculations add up, the wires are all connected in the right places. It's a flawless piece of technology.

'_Now, does it work…?'_

He straps his invention onto his wrist and activates it with measured care, pressing the button gingerly. He stares wide eyed at his hands, his feet, surveys the rest of his body, then touches his face.

"It works," he breathes in disbelief. A triumphant smile spreading across his face, he pulls off the device and tears from his lab yelling, "I did it! I did it!"

His brothers all look up as he bursts into the main part of the lair, exclaiming breathlessly, "I did it, it works!"

"What the _shell_ are ya talkin' about?" Raph demands impatiently, very pissed at being woken by his brother's shouts. Waving what looks like a digital watch before his ill-tempered sibling's face, Don quickly explains, "In the six months we've been home since our little time-traveling accident, I've invented some machines called molecular altering devices, or molecular changers. They have the ability to change your molecular structure on a superficial level for periods of time determined by the wearer by using solar atomic particles and the harnessing of light particles!"

He is congratulated by blank looks and the squeaking of the hamster wheel in Mikey's skull as they try to decipher what he's saying.

"We don't speak Geek, Don. In English, please?" Raph asks, totally lost. Heaving a 'nobody understands me' sigh, Don explains more simply, "It changes what you look like to whatever you want, temporarily."

"Ohhh," Mikey, Raph and Leo chorus.

"I just liked walking around in the open in the future so much, I thought it would be nice if we could do it in present day New York," Don admits, then his eyes lighting up like Mikey's on Christmas morning, he urges, "think of all the possibilities! We don't have to live in the shadows, we can meet new people, we can go to the grocery store without having to crawl through the ventilation ducts!"

"Aww, but crawling through the vents is fun," Mikey bemoans with a pout, recalling the time Raph jumped down into a crate of oranges by accident. Raph shoots Mikey a deadly glare, but doesn't smack him, instead asking his brother, "Can we see this thing is action?"

Don grins to his brother's poorly masked curiosity, and says, "I thought you would never ask," strapping on the device. He instructs, "First, you choose how you want to look: hair color, gender, what clothing you want, species, the basics," gesturing toward buttons of many colors. "Click enter, and presto!"

Leo, Raph and Mikey can't help but gape at Donatello, awestruck that their brother has disappeared before their eyes. A tall, attractive man with short, relaxed brown curls atop his head, pale skin, and long lashes has replaced him, the only recognizable traits his voice and his big brown eyes.

"Whoa," is the only syllable Raph or Leo can handle, and Mikey just stares at his slightly older brother, speechless for once. They stare transfixed at their evolved brother until April unexpectedly enters the lair, a puzzled look on her face to the new visitor. Placing three brown grocery bags on the counter top in the kitchen, she wonders, "Who's your new friend?"

Don is confused by April's comment, but then he remembers his new appearance. Grinning with pride, Don exclaims, "April, it's me, Don!"

"Oh my…" she trails off, and then asks, "How did you…?" Glad that somebody is interested, he explains hurriedly, "I'm demonstrating my molecular altering device."

April's face changes from shock to mild surprise. Seeming to know what he's talking about she asks lightly, "Oh, is that the thing you've been working on lately?"

"Yes!" Don answers, practically bursting with excitement. April scrutinizes him for a moment and compliments, "Very nice," unpacking the groceries. Don's face falls slightly to her lack of enthusiasm, and trying to lift his disappointed face, Mikey, as always, looks on the bright side.

"At least we don't have to wear those itchy trench coats anymore. They always smell really rank after Raph wears one."

The giddy mutant ducks just in time to avoid a smack across the head from Raph, this time not controlling the ferocious need to hit the jokester. He misses and scowls nastily, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't know," Leo says unsurely. _'Oh, no. He's going into leader mode,' _Don inwardly groans, giving Leo a questioning look. Leo points out, "If these fell into the wrong hands it would be extremely dangerous. What if our enemies steal this technology and use it against us and others?"

"Come on, Leo! They could change our very existence," Don pleads, upset to see all his hard work go down the drain. Smiling at Don's hopeful face Leo leans toward his brother's argument, admitting, "They could be useful…"

"What could be useful, my son?" Master Splinter asks calmly as he exits his room, sliding the shoji door behind him. Donatello enters another rapid explanation, barely taking a breath between sentences. After his son's considerable and scientifically based reasoning, Master Splinter studies his son's face long and hard. "You are right," Master Splinter concedes, continuing, "We need to get things for survival in a less jeopardizing manner." The old rat smiles and compliments proudly, "This is a wonderful invention, my son."

"Thanks, Sensei," Don says, bowing graciously. He straightens, positively beaming and adds, "I made one in yellow for you, Master."

The rat's ears perk up and his whiskers twitch, the rodent asking calmly to hide his interest, "May I see it? I _am_ fond of the color yellow."

Don smiles and replies delightedly, "Sure, Master Splinter, but I'll help you do the settings. I know your computer skills are lacking."

Unfortunately for poor Donatello, the usually lithe turtle's reflexes are not fast enough to avoid a rap on the skull from an insulted rat. No one can evade the walking stick!

_Okay, glad it's finally up! It took me FOREVER to figure out how to work my account, I practically went ballistic! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my piece of...erm..."literature", though my sister would call it obsession. Oh well, at least I know how to make boxed soup._  
_Please read and review!_


	2. Invitation

_Disclaimer: I wish I was the owner of the TMNT...Aw, man! It didn't work (sigh). Those magic lamps should come with a warranty. Fine. I do not own the TMNT. Their awesomeness belongs to Mirage studios.  
So…what's the haps? Okay, I'll make this quick. This is the chapter that gets all the other ones rolling, so enjoy it wholeheartedly!  
…Okay, it's not that great, but cut me a break. I promise they'll get better!_

Leo's hold loosens on the book about gardening that he has read thrice before as he slumps in his seat, sleep trying to take him hostage. Raph is unbelievably bored, the unusually calm turtle absent mindedly flicking through channels. He pauses momentarily at one displaying a car explosion, but his attention wanders quickly. Mikey is sprawled across the floor with Klunk curled up on his shell, his sugar coma beginning to fail him as he comes to. Deflatedly, Don throws the paper plates and plastic utensils from lunch in a black garbage can, making an unnecessary amount of noise. This disturbs his Sensei, who is as usual in his quarters.

They stay in similar positions for another two hours, except for Don. He grabs a stock market magazine and sits down in the brown easy chair, flipping it open to a random page. When he is engrossed in the rising value of Apple stocks, April enters the lair with a clean load of laundry. Smiling, she greets brightly, "Hi, guys!"

In return, she receives a nod from both Leo and Raph, an apathetic wave from Don and a partially friendly grunt from Mikey, now having rolled over on his plastron. Miffed that her arrival hasn't seemed to disturb them at all, she says to herself, _'These guys have the most incredible technology in the world, and they won't even __**use**__it! It looks like __**I'm**__ going to have to do something about it.'_

She places the garbage bag of laundry on the floor by the stairs and continues into the living area. She steps over Mikey and bends over Don, peeking over the top of his page. Smiling tightly, she says sarcastically, "Hello to you, too."

Don gives her a half hearted smile and returns to his reading. _'Men,_' she scoffs, rubbing at her neck. But she has a plan to get them out into the world and try all the things they have never experienced as isolated teen boys. This is going to be fun. April faces the four boys and proposes, "There's a dance club on Peter's Street, and tonight is half price night for entry fees. You guys should tag along with Casey and I, for some fun."

Donatello's throat constricts, but not because of the alarming decrease in the value of metropolis apartments. All concentration lost, he lowers the magazine from his face and stares at all his brothers, who look at him with just as much perplexity on their features. Leo fabricates an excuse off the top of his head, and opens his mouth to tell his little white lie. However, Master Splinter intervenes.

"Go, my sons," their father insists. Raph starts to protest, but Splinter continues, "You have not left the lair for many days, apart from running errands or training,"

Master splinter's word is law, and if one tries to dismiss it, they get a lot more than what they bargained for. Knowing this Donatello sighs in defeat, dragging himself to his lab. Upon returning, he tosses a molecular changer at each of his brothers, and suggests, "You had better get started setting those things, they'll take a while. Trust me."

A look of remote relief on his face, Master Splinter murmurs, "Thank you, Miss O'Ne-April," a grateful smile on his face.

"No problem," she responds in a low voice. She giggles quietly at the look of betrayal and resentment on the boys' faces, saying, "The guys need a night out just as much as I do."

"And I need an evening without the boys," Master Splinter admits with a fond chuckle, pinching the bridge of his nose to subside his small headache. "There is only so much on can block out with meditation."

_This will be…interesting. Hehehehe... I hope you enjoyed this chapter, there's more coming up, so please continue reading! Thanks very much, and please review!_


	3. Preparations

_Disclaimer: I am not in possession of the TMNT. They are the coolest thing ever, yet I do not even have my own little piece of them. That will change. What's my plan to change that, you ask? Simple. I'll tell you my plan in five easy steps:  
1) Sneak into the building where all the people who work on the TMNT are.  
2) Either set off a fire alarm, place traps in strategic places, or lure all the people away by screaming "BAKE SALE!" as loudly as possible (most likely third distraction).  
3) Hack into a computer database.  
4) Change all the copyrights and such to my name and a company of my creation (perhaps 'Super Trooper Midnight Lightning Bats' or 'Spanish Rocket Ninja').  
5) Run like __heck__!  
That is my brilliant plan!…except for the fact that I'm using my name for the copyright. Might have to think that through a little more…  
Enjoy the chapter!_

_  
_"Dang it! I pressed the wrong button again," mutters Raphael in a corner, seething with frustration as he fiddles violently with his molecular changer. Don looks on at his discouraged brothers, poised neatly on the edge of the couch as he waits patiently for them wearing his own molecular changer.

Leonardo presses the last setting, finally finished. He stands, letting out a thankful sigh. Now he dreads actually having to _wear_ the thing. Strapping it on his wrist, Leo pushes the set button, the anticipation squeezing his stomach. In mere milliseconds, his place is taken by a tall, muscular man with thick, chestnut hair, lightly tanned skin and long, nimble fingers. Dimples appear when he smiles uncertainly at his brothers, agog with shock. Only his eyes stay their intense brown, flitting over his strange body.

"This isn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be," he remarks, more to reassure himself than his siblings.

Raphael finishes his settings shortly, and satisfied, pushes the big, red button. Instantly he becomes a dark haired man, with more muscles than Don or Leo and a darker complexion. He appears rugged, and a little intimidating, but his brothers relax once they see his familiar hazel eyes, peering at them questioningly.

Once his shaking fingers stop quivering long enough for him to use them, Mikey presses the button, half expecting the device to explode. Instead of the forecast detonation, Mikey turns into a blond haired blue eyed boy, his lightly tanned skin pulled tightly over muscles. His cheeks lift as he smiles as quirkily as ever, his blue eyes sparkling in impish delight.

"I guess we're ready to go?" Leo suggests, unsure about their decision or more accurately, their Master's decision. Before he has the chance to flee from the injustice, an exclamation comes from the door.

"Wow, you guys look…different," April observes, taken aback, with Casey just as shocked on her arm. Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo all have to do a double take.

April looks, well, gorgeous. Fiery red hair pulled up, a turquoise, strapless dress hugging her slight body. Their eyes are the size of saucers as they stare for a second but the four quickly snap out of it. To regain face, they throw in compliments like poker chips.

"Whoa, you clean up good, April," Raph compliments.

Still stunned, Leo says, "You look very nice," although she looks much more than _nice_.

Don nods his head, praising, "I have to give you your props," eyes unable to tear away. A foolish grin overpowering his face, Mikey tries to flatter her by complimenting, "You're looking very lovely this evening, April. Is that cleavage?"

Everyone gives Mikey one of those looks that says 'It would be better if you didn't talk'. Raph goes for the direct approach and whacks him across the back of the head ruthlessly.

"Ow! What? I was just saying what everyone else was thinking," Mikey poorly defends himself. He pouts to try and soften the cruel souls who submitted him to such violence, his eyes big and sad. Uninfluenced by the look of pain on his face, April rolls her eyes fondly. She steps between Leo and Don and links one arm in each of their. Excitement unconcealed, she insists, "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" She practically drags them to the door, using an untapped reservoir of strength to force them out of the lair. Casey snags Mikey by the collar and ushers him and Raph to the exit despite Raph's grumbling.

Once all is quiet, Master Splinter opens one eye and sighs. An affectionate but exhausted smile on his face, he murmurs, "Peace at last."

_Oh, Mikey. Mikey, Mikey, Mikey...indeed, everyone else was thinking that, but they did not say it, therefore, you are still in trouble.  
This wasn't a very eventful chapter, neither were the ones before it, but I promise to give you some really good stuff soon...if anyone is actually reading my story...  
I can assure you will be slightly impressed with my story when I get to the more exciting points of my story.  
Keep reading (Please?)  
Please review, and have a great day!_


	4. Coming Out of Their Shells

_Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT. They, along with their ninja butt-kicking awesomeness belong to Mirage studios. But, one day soon, I will own them all! Oh yes! MUAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!!!!_

_*cough* Ahem. Sorry for that._

_Alright, let's talk. A CLUB???!!! Now normally I'd consider myself crazy, but it just seems the best way for these four to get out on the market. So, a club it is! This promises to be entertaining…_

_I'm just so EVIL! And I enjoy every second of it! _

_Now, let's get on with the story!_

_PS- This chapter was edited March 6, 2010_

'The Underground' looms over the disguised turtles, with its neon lights and reflective mirror balls. The bass of the music vibrates the entire structure as the four brothers stare the unfamiliar building in apprehension. There is a discernable amount of bitterness radiating from the four brothers, having been sent against their will to the slightly tacky club. Finally Leo admits defeat, flashing his false ID at the bouncer with his brothers not far behind.

"Nice job on the IDs, Donnie," Raph whispers to his brother seconds before the change in atmosphere sucks him in. It seems time has stopped for a few moments as many people, look toward the four men. The women are enticed by the new blood, an infrequent occasion as of late at 'The Underground'. The girls, whether single or taken, are intrigued; one girl in particular happens to be very interested in the dominant, blue clad man. She smiles at her friends mischievously, and entreats, "Excuse me for a second, ladies…and Greg." She stands without a response, although she doesn't expect one, and moves sveltely through the mass of bodies thumping with music. She eyes her target for a moment and grins to herself, thinking, _'This is going to be fun.'_

The four teen boys are like statues. They scan the crowd for April and Casey whom vanished the moment they entered but can't see them anywhere. No doubt part of April's plan to get the boys to socially interact. Leo's eyes flit casually across the room until he comes across an attractive girl. She has auburn tinted brown locks, entrancing hazel eyes and a light dusting of freckles across her bare shoulders. She wears a black halter dress that hits at her knee and heels that make her hips sway as she walks. It takes him a second to realize that she is making a beeline for him, and he panics. In an attempt to avoid her, Leo starts to talk to Raph about their katas.

The girl draws up to Leo and hangs back at his side, trying to catch his eye as he ignores her. Uneasily deterred, the girl moves forward another step and gives both men a dazzling smile. Turning her attention to Leo, she asks politely, "Excuse me for interrupting, but I was wondering if you would like a dance?"

_'Darn,_' he curses, turning his head to see her better. He opens his mouth to refuse, but her eyes look so hopeful, he can't say no. Leo swallows and replies, "Sure."

"My name's Rachel," she introduces herself, offering her hand genially. Giving her dainty hand a shake, he replies formally, "Leonardo." She smiles at him brightly and he smiles slightly back, letting her tow him to the dance floor quite submissively. For once, he doesn't mind taking the backseat. Mikey raises his eyebrows in disbelief at Raph, answered by an unconcerned shrug. Mikey turns to Don, knowing he's just as confused about Leo's behavior as he is. They converse with their eyes, seeming worried, until Raph gives them both a look, telling them to relax. Calming down, Don and Mikey stand with Raph for a while listening to music. After three songs, Raph suggests awkwardly, "We should mingle or somethin'. People might get the wrong idea and think we're…uh…ya know…"

Understanding the implication, Mikey grins and replies, "Sure thing, Raphie boy, just make sure to save me a dance."

Hand quick as lightning, Mikey smacks Raph across the backside. Before Raphael can blink, Mikey's on the other side of the room, the only hint that he's still in the state after his gutsy move his loud, manic cackling.

"You better sleep with your eyes open, Mikey!" Raph hisses threateningly, although he can't hear him. He then sighs heavily and makes his way over to the drink counter, leaving Donatello alone. Don rolls his eyes and walks in the opposite direction to find those who appreciate his company.

Raph plunks himself down on a spinney stool at the bar, running a hand over his face. _'Why'd we let April talk us inta this?_' he wonders, already bored with the club scene. He considers the likelihood of giving his brothers and friends the slip and busting some Purple Dragons when he notices a girl sitting beside him. A few seats over sits a middle aged man who's eying the girl, his expression a disgusting leer. Raph can practically read his thoughts and barely suppresses the urge to punch him. _'Big perv,_' he says to himself. He then notices that the girl looks upset and that her eyes are glassy from holding back tears. An uncommon amount of compassion overthrows Raph's tough guy act, and he says gently, looking a little nervous, "Penny for yer thoughts? Although, I bet they're worth more than that."

Startled, the girl lifts her head, and Raph gets a good look at her.

_ 'Damn, she's gorgeous,'_ he says to himself, studying her long ebony hair, her pale skin and rosy cheekbones. Before now, he had overlooked her small frame, now realizing it is entirely built of muscle. The most alluring thing about her are her pale blue eyes, drawing Raph in. She looks rejected, angry, confused, ashamed, sad and a little relieved all at the same time. He is driven to shift in his seat to face her fully. She processes what Raph said, eyeing him warily. He seems absorbed but she decides he can't be any creepier than the guy on her other side. Forcing a smile, she counters, "Do you have the time?"

His never breaks as he waits intently for her response. She surrenders to his pleading eyes, inhaling a deep breath, and launches into her story with a feeble voice, "Well, this night started out as a blind date that my friends set me up on with some guy they knew from Connecticut who was coming into town for the weekend. They said he was really athletic, nice and good looking, so I said yes." She glances up at him to see if he's still listening. Hs concentrated expression gives her the courage to plough on in a stronger voice, "We were all here together, dancing and having fun when my friends boyfriends showed up. They decided to go to a movie and told me to stay so my date wouldn't think I stuck him up." Glaring at the linoleum counter top, she forces another false smile, muttering, "That was three hours ago."

Embarrassment conspicuous in her expression, she adds in a lowered voice, the already soft volume taking on a hushed quality, "On top of all that, Ricky over here keeps on offering me drinks."

She indicates with a tilt of the head the older man at the other end of the counter, on his fourth scotch. Her attention returned to the topic at hand, she searches Raphael's eyes avidly, and her smile becoming more genuine, finishes, "And now, I'm telling all my problems to a guy I just met, expecting him to actually care. Is this a sad story or what?"

"Let's give this sad story a happy ending," Raph suggests, a kinder expression covering his face. "How 'bout we go sit in a booth so I can hear some of yer better experiences?"

Her head bobs up and down appreciatively, and she says, "By the way, I'm Vanessa."

"Raphael," he responds, putting out his hand in gesture. She grasps his hand with a surprisingly firm grip and he flinches slightly. Seeming to notice the start of his hand, she shakes more gently. As the two leave their stools to find a quiet booth, Vanessa hooks her arm around Raph's casually. Although surprised he says nothing, leaving her arm where it is. '_Hook, line and sinker.'_

During this time, Donatello weaves his way through the club, trying to avoid the ladies who a try to flirt with him. He looks around and sighs, missing his laboratory with all its comforting smells and books and his computers. He suddenly stops dead in his tracks and turns to look at a girl who sits quietly at a table by herself. He stares at her for a long minute but she seems to not have detected him at all, which makes him observe her with utmost interest.

Beautiful is the only word to describe her. A long mane of blond, bouncy waves frame her face, piercing green eyes protruding subtly from her features. Her slim, long fingers move over buttons adeptly, their milky hue reflecting the lights as she focuses on her palmtop. She bites her bottom lip in concentration, mumbling a word to herself once in a while.

She notices Don watching her from a distance and glances up, noting he's good looking. The girl returns her attention to her palm top, and she works for another minute, exclaiming, "Shoot!" softly in exasperation. Don edges closer to her and her eyes flit over him again. _'Why is he staring at me?_' she wonders, a little uncomfortable under his watchful eyes. When he is a few feet away, she decides to make the first move. Feeling bold, she looks up sharply and asks curtly with a hint of sarcasm, "Are you looking at me because I'm out of place," she gestures to her palmtop, "or because you're checking me out?"

_'Shell,_' Don says to himself. He can tell her question is more out of curiosity than annoyance, but it's hard to think of something when she's looking right at him. _'Okay, just say something to her, anything!' _

Without thinking, he replies, "Both." _'…anything except that. Nice going, stupid.'_

At this, she flushes pink from embarrassment and flattery. She feels shy again and grasps for something to say, her smile silly. The break in conversation makes him nervous and he says, "I noticed you were having trouble with your palm top. Can I help you…I'm sorry, what's your name?"

_ 'I can't believe I didn't even ask her name first!'_

_ 'I can't believe he asked me my name!' _The girl replies, "Lily, and yes, you can help me. I'm having some trouble with keeping my files on the correct drive, and at the same time, trying to rebuild my firewalls. What's your name?"

"Donatello, Don for short," he answers, holding out his hand for the palmtop and taking a seat next to her. He presses a few buttons, opens and closes folders and files, all the while explaining what he's doing, and finally, he finds the disturbance.

"Oh, your hard drive is in the incorrect mode, which moves all your files to the D drive. All you have to do is change the setting, turn it off, turn it back on, and then it should be back to normal," he assures, fixing it rapidly. Finished with the first task, he moves on to her firewalls, studying them raptly, and asks with interest, "Did you create all your own programs?"

"Most of them," Lily replies nonchalantly, no more conceited for the impressed raise of his eyebrows. Hungry for knowledge, Don demands, "How do they stay stable? It's such a small machine, it doesn't have many gigabytes."

"I use a compact system, making sure my programs are powerful enough so that viruses can't get through, but I try to use smaller amounts of memory, keeping it intact."

_ 'Wow, beauty and brains,'_ he says to himself, surprised by her interest in such things, yet excited to find someone who actually likes computers. A file catches his eye on her desktop, and looking up at her briefly, he enquires, "Are you interested in engineering?"

She smiles and replies, "Yeah, I like to design things; build things; fix things..."

Don steals a glance at the icon on the screen again, curious as to what her plans look like. Noticing his sideways glances, she insists with an amused chuckle, "You can look at my diagrams if you want, I don't mind. I could always use a second opinion."

Curiosities taking over his embarrassment at his own lack of subtlety, he asks, "Are you sure?"

She gives and affirmative head nod and he smiles. He clicks on the icon, opening to page upon page of inventions, plans and designs. Lily shifts in her seat to better her view; she follows his vivid eyes along the screen, a grin washing over her face at his leg bouncing with energy.

Meanwhile, poor Mikey is having worse luck than his brothers with the ladies, already having been rudely rejected seven times in the past twelve minutes. No wonder, with lines like 'Do you have any overdue library books? 'Cause you've got _fine _written all over you' and 'How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice. Hi, I'm Mikey…'

Reviewing his fallings out, Mikey contemplates other ways to pick up girls. _'Maybe it I had a mustache…' _His train of thought screeches to a halt when a strikingly beautiful girl catches his eye in the crowd of dancers. Her skin glows bronze under the lowlights, her honey chestnut locks bouncing with her motion, the gold tones picked up by the brightest lights. Like a force, Mikey is drawn to her, her white smile dazzling, her persona emanating she hasn't a care in the world. As he nears her, the sparkling blue of her eyes reveal the gold and green flecks throughout, her irises hypnotizing.

His mind quickly fabricates a plan to talk to her, and cautiously, he begins dancing randomly in her direction, grabbing her attention. She peers at him with a little confusion, until she realizes his motives.

_ 'Oh, this guy thinks he can dance, huh? Let's see if I can't show him how it's done.'_

Once he is near enough, she turns slightly to face him and her dancing becomes a little more intense, the moves a better quality than the swaying and hip shaking it consisted of only moments before. The group around them back off, and they watch with fascination. Not wanting to be beaten by a girl, Mikey kicks it up a notch, earning himself a few whoops and a wolf whistle. At his turn tables, the DJ sees the dance off in progress. Wanting to give the people in the rapidly growing crowd some entertainment, he changes the song to a more up beat tune, regarding the pair with interest.

Recognition registers over the girls face, and a smile slowly forming across her face, she begins to break-dance vigorously. She's amazing, much to Mikey's surprise, and the make-shift audience cheers loudly. Entranced by the way her body flows in sync with the music Mikey knows he's lost the dance-off. To end on a lighter note and gain some face, he uses what he has left: he expertly undertakes two clean back flips, and for his grand finale, a flying kick. He smiles defiantly at the girl when the applause reaches his ears, cheek seeping from his every pore.

Unfazed, she counters with a split jump, a round off, a back tuck and a forward walk over. She follows immediately with a one handed hand plant, like the one Mikey can do on his skateboard.

The spectators go wild! Mikey, clearly defeated, takes it like a man, being a good sport. As soon as the crowd has dispersed, Mikey compliments the girl.

"You're a really great dancer."

He seems so sincere that she flushes slightly. Unable to fight the urge to smile, she responds gratefully, "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself. My name's Samantha," She adds, sticking out her hand and waiting expectantly for him to reply. He catches on in a few seconds, the delay causing him to fumble, "I'm Michelangelo," completely ignoring her hand. Her eyebrow raises inquisitively, so he suggests, "You can call me Mikey."

They're quiet for a few moments, Mikey staring at the floor nervously, Sam rocking back and forth on her heels expectantly. More than a little highly strung, she stammers, "Uh, so…would you like to…dance?" Then, seeing his face, an expression she takes as panic and uncertainty, she quickly assures, "It's not a competition, I promise."

Mikey appears reluctant, but inside he's jumping up and down screaming, _"Yes! Finally, I get to meet a girl without her fainting the second I speak! Score!!!"_

Regaining his composure, he replies, "Sure, why not? Sounds like fun," He follows her closely to the dance floor and catches a glimpse of Leo as he passes. Mikey grins at his brother and winks, pointing to Sam as she walks in front of him. Exasperated and amused by Mikey's shameless performance, Leo hopes for a deflation in his brother's ego, although the pretty girl will most likely compensate for the self-confidence Mikey lost in the dance-off.

Swaying back and forth gently with Rachel, his attention returns to their conversation on sports. Nothing prepares him for what he hears next.

"So, what sports did you say you do regularly?" he asks, thinking he didn't hear her right while some of his attention was on Mikey.

"Oh, I like to play soccer, basket ball, volley ball and lacrosse. I swim, kick box, skate-"

"What, are you good at every sport on the planet?" Leo interrupts, chuckling politely. Her face spreads into a smile, and more joking than being serious, she replies, "Mostly any sport that I either get to kick something or hit a ball with a stick."

He laughs, and remarks, "You sound like my brother, Raph."

Interest piqued, Rachel asks, "Were those your brothers who came with you tonight?"

A little surprised by her interest in his family, he responds, "Yeah: Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo."

She giggles and enquires, "Do foreign names run in the family?"

Leo laughs again and answers, "Yeah, my family is a little out of the ordinary."

"Aren't all families?" she points out, grinning. Most of her answers are wise and unexpected, others just making him laugh at their obviousness, and he finds himself asking '_Why didn't I think of that answer?'_

He recalls an earlier Q&A they had, when she had asked him randomly, "Why do people find ridiculous things funny?"

Leo had to think about this for a few moments, finally responding, "Because they're strange, I guess."

"I think it's because the thought of somebody doing something uncharacteristic or against the generalized opinions we hear everyday from society makes us laugh. The human mind works in strange ways, and the only thing we can do is laugh about it." That one interested him quite a bit.

He returns to the present, and in an attempt to keep her talking, he conjures up a good question to make her think as much as she forced him to. Before he can ask it, however, she returns to the subject he so casually dismissed, and insists, "Tell me more about your brothers."

"Well, Raph is a violence seeking hot head we love to death, though we don't show it. He wouldn't have it any other way. He can be aggressive, but usually only when defending someone; he's passionate about that. Often, we're the ones who are arguing, but it wouldn't be a normal week without a fight between us. It's the silence from him you have to worry about, that means something is up. Still, he's fun when he wants to be, and helps a lot when he's in the mood.

"Don is a genius. He's the level headed one, but he's a dreamer. He always has his head in the clouds. He can be shy and quiet sometimes, but he always has time for us. We couldn't live without his intelligence, compassion or wit. He's so funny, even though he doesn't try. Sarcastic maybe, but funny. Then again, sarcasm runs in the family, it comes to Raph so easily.

"Then there's Mikey, who's a child trapped in the body of a twenty year old. He finds a twisted joy in pranking all of us, especially Raph. He's almost always happy, optimistic and confident, if not full of himself, and adds a certain level of insanity to our household. I think we need it to keep us all from over thinking things or from becoming oblivious to each other. To keep us from driving each other away with our self centered personalities, he drives us up the wall and forces us to bond."

Leo tilts his head to the side and looks for assurance, asking, "How's that?"

"Very good, very informative," Rachel replies. Working up the nerve, she asks, "Can I meet them?"

_ 'NO!'_ is what Leo feels like shouting in urgency, but instead he makes an excuse off the top of his head. Sensing his reluctance, she adds hastily, "If you want to. I mean, I don't want to force them to meet me or make you feel uncomfortable."

"Thanks," Leo mumbles gratefully, and in an attempt to change the subject, she asks, "How do you see yourself? I want to find out if it's anything like I see you."

"I'm sort of the leader out of my brothers, being the oldest, and I take responsibility for them, no matter how much they resent me for that. It is my purpose to protect my family, and that is why I train so hard in the Martial Arts."

'_Oops, let that one slip out.'_ Shaking it off, he continues, "I like to talk to my brothers, go skateboarding with them, watch movies, and read a book when there's peace. Um…I meditate more than I sleep, get into fights with my brothers, although I don't exactly enjoy that. I…like candles, if that counts?"

"Yes, it does," she laughs, and suggests, "Now that I know so much about you, I want to know how much you know about me."

Not wanting to forget anything or start out wrong, Leo thinks for a few seconds, then reviews, "Your name is Rachel, you moved to New York twelve years ago, you are 23 years old, but you'll be 24 in March, you have a taste for architecture from the 1800's, you like AC/DC and Leanne Rimes, your favorite color is blue, you like cats, photography, the movie Juno and Rockets. You ask unending questions, do every sport known to man and you play with your hair a lot when you flirt. Need I go on?"

As he says the last fact, she immediately stops touching her hair and drops her hand to her side, blushing furiously Allowing a chuckle to escape her lips, she praises, "Excellent, you were listening. I'm impressed."

"I try," he replies lightly, letting his hands slide farther down to rest at the small of her back as they rock to and fro on the dance floor.

"Do you want to dance?" Lily asks casually. Don has to look over at her to see if he's heard her correctly, or if she's joking or if maybe Mikey finally got to him and he's hallucinating that she asked him to dance. No such luck. Her eyes are at full attention as Lily waits expectantly for his verdict. A little nervous, he stammers, "Sure," standing up shakily. In a series of clicks, she turns off her palm top, slipping it into a black case and stashing it in her pocket, patting it for assurance.

With inconceivable grace, she leads him through the mass of bodies, finding an area with enough oxygen, and taking in a shallow breath turns to him. A façade of certainty on her face, she reaches out and clasps his hand firmly, only smiling faintly to the trembling of his hand as he places it at her waist, heart racing to the contact. She places her other hand on his shoulder, pleased at the feeling his muscle flexing under her slight pressure. Aware of his shyness, she sways gently, feeling the song as it whispers about their ears. Becoming a mite braver, she pulls his body a little closer to hers, their chests almost touching. He is scared, thrilled, intimidated and empowered by her being so close to him, all at once. The warmth of her hand on his shoulder sends a wave of…_something_ through his body, although he can't decipher exactly what it is. Don relaxes to the almost inaudible sound of Lily's voice, humming the song, and he smiles at the novelty of it all.

Raph glances over at Vanessa again, noticing how lost in her thoughts she seems. Not oblivious to him watching her, she bites her lip in nervously. She finally asks him the thing that has been bothering her for the past half hour.

"Uh, Raph? Do you…want to…to dance? I really like this song."

In an attempt to impress, he replies in a voice that sounds more confident than he feels, "Sure, that sounds good," leading Vanessa to the dance floor. He places his hand on her hip lightly and grasps her hand, his breathing a bit shallow. As if he has done this before, he glides about their small section of the dance floor elegantly to her surprise, having expected him to be clumsy and awkward.

'_But I'm not complaining!'_ she reminds herself, readjusting her hold on his hand again. The song soon ends, but they continue to move back and forth in their own little world, neither noticing the time.

It turns out to be Mikey who checks his watch by instinct, realizing the late hour. Gasping in panic and fear, he mutters, "Shell! It's almost eleven thirty!" unaware he has just said it out loud. Sam giggles at this expression, thinking how cute he sounded, then reprimands herself exasperatedly '_No! I just called him cute! I've known this guy for how many hours? Get a hold of yourself, Sam!_'

Jerking her head slightly, she regains her composure just as Mikey says apologetically, "I'm really sorry to up and leave like this, but Master Spli-I mean my _dad_ said that our curfew is eleven, and it's eleven thirty now. C-can I have your number, so I can see you again?"

It's pretty cute that he has a curfew, and Sam is surprised by his request, wondering if he really means it. He seems sincere, his blue eyes imploring and she replies, "Sure, as long as I can have yours."

'_Stupid!'_ she screams at herself in her head _'That was so pitiful!'_

Mikey didn't appear to notice how keen she sounded, and hands her a pen and note pad with flourish. In a neat print appropriate for school, she writes her number swiftly on the paper, tears it off the pad, and hands all three back to Mikey, who clumsily scribbles his shell-cell number on the next page, handing it to her eagerly.

"Bye, Sam!" he calls over his shoulder as he bolts into the crowd to find his brothers, and she gives him a slight wave of the hand. It's only when she can't see him anymore that she discerns a faded picture of a turtle-like creature with an orange mask and a pair of nunchucks printed on the slip. She smiles at the quirky picture and thinks about Mikey's big, beautiful blue eyes with their mischievous twinkle…

'_No, Sam! Take it easy!'_ she chides herself, but can't help but muse, _'Shell, his butt is prime property!'_

In the enormous sea of people, Mikey finds Don first, sitting with a blond girl in the midst of a conversation about cold fusion thrusters.

"It'll take some cold fusion thrusters strapped to the car if we want to get home in time to avoid Master Splinter's wrath! It's already eleven thirty!" Mikey blurts when he reaches the table. Don's eyes widen, and he curses, "Oh, shell!" glancing at Lily with yearning. He apologizes automatically, as if a programmed robot, and expects a quick goodbye when she orders, "Give me your cell."

He hands it to her obediently, and she punches in some digits hurriedly, not remarking on the incredible engineering of the shell-cell. She finishes in three seconds, a record time, and informs, "I'm speed dial number six. Bye, Don."

Don leaps from his chair, throwing, "Bye," over his shoulder as he lets himself be swallowed by the mass of people, catching only a fleeting glimpse of the beautiful face. They search frantically for Raph and Leo. Fearless is the first they find, sitting with the pretty girl who had stolen him away after only two minutes in the club.

"Sorry to interrupt, but if we don't get going right now, Master Splinter will make us do training for 89 hours straight again!" Mikey blurts a little impatiently.

Leo's head snaps up suddenly at Michelangelo's voice, and he looks between both of them a little sheepishly. Observing the awkward edge to the short silence, Rachel introduces herself.

"I'm Rachel; it's very nice to meet you. Is it Donatello and Michelangelo? Am I right?"

"Yeah," Don replies politely, and pretending to be irked, Mikey teases, "Geese Leo, did you tell her our whole life story or somethin'? Bet you're bored to death, huh Rachel?" Leo lets his eyes drop nervously and he asks, "Can I have your number? I really hate to leave."

"Yeah, do you have a pe-" she is cut off by a pen and a pad being shoved in her face by Mikey, which she takes graciously, careful not to make any sudden movements as Mikey and Don's seem highly-strung. She jots down her number efficiently, and asks in return, "May I have your number too?"

Without responding, he writes it down in clean, bold lettering, and hands her the slip of paper, giving her a light peck on the cheek. No one is more surprised than Leo is, but he remains calm, bidding, "Bye. I hope to see you soon."

"Bye," she answers faintly, still in shock. Rachel presses her fingers gingerly to where he kissed her, her skin tingling. Taking another look at his receding back, she smiles softly, tucking the piece of paper into her purse at the nearby table where she had abandoned her friends earlier, not one of them acknowledging her presence. With a ghostly quiet, she leaves the club, absolutely glowing.

Finally, they find Raph, sitting next to a stunningly beautiful girl, both breathless from their dancing escapades. Upon their arrival, Raph casually greets, "Hey guys. Haven't talked to you all night, but I saw Mikey get schooled on the dance floor!"

As his chuckles subside, he introduces Vanessa, telling her each of their names as well. Vanessa smiles warmly and replies, "Wow, it's really great to meet you! I've heard so much!"

The two milder brothers return her smile, but Mikey bluntly quips, "It's nice to meet you too. You're lucky you met Raph on a good day."

She looks at Raph pointedly, and murmurs in almost a whisper, "Yeah, I am lucky," completely ignoring Mikey's comment. Raph flushes furiously, and asks briskly to divert attention from himself, "D'ya have yer pen and pad on ya, Mike?"

Mikey fumbles in his pocket and whips it out, disappointed that Raph didn't blow his top in front of Vanessa. Quickly, Raph scribbles and almost illegible series of numbers on the page, handing her the pad shortly, and in round, clear digits, she writes her own number and hands it to Raph. As she draws back her hand, he grasps it and presses his lips to it swiftly. His astonished brothers exchange curious looks as Vanessa says, "Bye Raph, see you later."

"Bye," he murmurs, not wanting to leave, but knowing he must if he wants to see her again. It's hard to go out with someone when you're grounded, after all. Exiting quickly with thoughts flowing madly through his mind, he keeps his eyes on the doorway, afraid that if he looks back he'll never want to go home. Vanessa's mind is in a similar state, not knowing what is to come, not sure if he likes her, just knowing how good that kiss on her hand felt.

_And we're off! Wow, the guys made some progress tonight, eh? Won't be long now _;)

_I myself found it an interesting chapter, but that's probably because I got to put the TMNT in an awkward, new situation, and I also got to describe their sexiness. But that's how it goes for us authors, dreaming of what we can't have and substituting with vivid stories, dreams, fantasies and imaginings. I wish I could be one of these beautiful girls, preferably Lily, and I wish I could meet one of these guys…I'm sorry, men._

_Preferably Donatello, in his turtle form. He makes me feel all warm inside _^.^

_What I liked about doing this chapter was establishing that since they weren't really exposed to girls during their teen years, at the time of their early adulthood, they're going to have that freshman innocence (which I, by the way, think is cute), and that is going to make them all act a little strangely around people of the opposite sex, and just people in general. _

_I really wanted to make the two tough guys, Leo and Raph, kind of nervous and edgy, because these are the two who have the most difficulty coming to terms with their feelings. I thought it was a nice touch to have them in this way, seeming young and cute. _

_I also had fun with Don, ahahahahaha! I loved making her beat him to the punch, it was great! _

_And poor Mikey, the ladies weren't impressed with his pick-up lines. I bet he rehearsed them for a long time in front of the mirror, too! How disappointing. _

_Anyway, thanks for reading, please review!_


	5. Wrath of the Rat

_Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT, Master Splinter or any of their acquaintances/enemies. _

_Does it count if I wish Donatello was mine? Hm, guess not…Oh! But I do own Lily, Vanessa, Rachel and Sam!_

_I guess that the title gives you enough of a hint as to what will happen next, so I really don't have to explain it… just because I don't have to, doesn't mean I won't. Master Splinter gets to be a real father of teenage boys in this chapter, because most boys' hormones are nearly uncontrollable at this age with girls constantly about. However, these are no ordinary boys (they're technically not even boys) as these boys haven't had much contact with the opposite sex, so it'll be something new for Splinter. Poor guy. _

_I hope you enjoy the chapter!_

The turtles drop off April and Casey at their apartment, after forgetting them at 'The Underground' in their haste to get home. Donatello floors the gas pedal as soon as April's apartment door closes, and drives as fast as safely possible. Indeed, quite a contradictory phrase.

"How did you find a pretty girl who wasn't turned off by your personality, Raph?" Mikey asks, trying to get under his temperamental brother's skin. To his disappointment, Raph ignores him, completely immersed in his thoughts. He ponders how Vanessa found it so easy to open up to him, and even more unnerving, how many times he wanted to tell her something personal. Fortunately, he suppressed the urge and started a new conversation to avoid the complicated topics.

_ 'Did she notice I was scared?'_ Raph wonders, feeling a little more vulnerable than usual. This feeling of weakness and exposure has always bothered him. However, for some reason, it was a good kind of vulnerable he felt with Vanessa, almost like relief. He didn't let his guards down, but he realizes now that maybe he should have. Maybe next time… '_Wait, next time? What am I sayin'? Get a hold a yerself, Raph.'_

Jolted out of his contemplation by the rough stop of the Battle Shell, he realizes that they're back home. He hops out of the armored car after Mikey and the four brothers feel around until they find the elevator door in the dark garage. They clamber into it and the door makes a swoosh sound as it closes. Then, the lift shudders for a moment and begins its descent, sounding loud in the silence between the boys. Just before the elevator reaches the bottom, they remove their molecular changers. The lift makes a final screech as it halts and the doors open. The lair is pitch black as they enter and each brother lets out a sigh, thinking they're in the clear.

The lights flick on suddenly in all their fluorescent glory, to reveal a very peeved rat.

"Where have you been, my sons?" he demands in an unfriendly tone. He is answered by a collective mumble of, "Sorry." Splinter places his hands on his hips and continues, "You curfew was up forty-seven minutes ago." He releases a breath and asks, "Well, what were you doing that kept you all so late?"

Up until now, the evening wasn't difficult to recall, but now they all blank. In a series of bits and pieces they explain the night they had out, each picking up the story once another trails off. Fortunately, Splinter has seen many soap operas and understands what they are trying to say. Face becoming a knowing smile, Splinter murmurs, "It is alright, my sons," then his voice taking on an 'I mean business' quality, he orders, "Just do not be out past your curfew next time."

"What do ya mean, 'next time'? Who says we're even gonna to see them again?" Raph enquires, finding it strange that his father is thinking the same thing he was earlier.

"You told these ladies you would call them, and you will keep your promise," Master Splinter states firmly, a sharp edge on his words. Raph regrets telling him about that part, but knows it's to late to go back on it now. More so to himself than anyone else, Mikey muses, "I wonder if right now would be too soon to call Sam?"

They look at Mikey incredulously, and amused, Don quips, "Shell, Mikey! Shouldn't you wait at least twenty-four hours before giving her a reason to file a restraining order?"

Raph and Leo snicker quietly, stopping immediately when Mikey rounds on them and gives them his most menacing. Eyes narrowed, he grumbles sleepily, "I'm goin' to bed." He glances at his brothers one last time and skulks to his bedroom with Klunk trailing behind him faithfully.

Exchanging ashamed glances, the other three scurry to their own rooms silently. They all know that they won't sleep a wink tonight. Certain his sons won't leave their rooms to go topside, Splinter retires to his room, sliding the screen shut behind him.

_The Turtles have stumbled unknowingly on a new turf, and the rules have changed. The Game of LIFE has become the game of LOVE! ...okay, that sounded cooler in my head. Sorry about that, guys._

_Thankies for reading this very short, but needed, chapter._

_R&R!_


	6. Serendipity

_Disclaimer: I...do n-nahhh...it's just so hard! Alright, I can do this. I do n-n-…not own the T-T-T...TMNT. They belong to Eastman and Laird, the luckiest people in existence. However, I do own Rachel, Sam , Vanessa, Lily and her currently nameless sister._

_So, before we begin, I must tell you all something about this chapter. It's not all that important, but I __**love**__ details! So, this chapter is up if only for my amusement, and to keep you guys up to date. _

_Heehee. Boy, do I have fun in this thing!_

_Enjoy the chapter, I promise the next will be much more 'eventful' _;D.

_PS_-_Chapter edited March 7__th__ 2010_

Donatello's molecular altering devices are collecting dust as they haven't left the lair in a week. The turtles haven't been the same since their excursion to the club, each of them acting oddly out of character. Leonardo has been strangely happy and lighthearted; Donatello has been jittery and high strung; Mikey has been more recluse and calm; and Raphael has been much less temperamental. To an extent, at least. Mikey was asking for it, dancing madly about the lair at one point to the song 'Dancing Queen' after he lost interest in reading _The Outsiders_.

Suddenly, the phone rings, and from the comfort of his leather chair, Raph bellows, "I'll get it!"

Raph stumbles over the game console on his trek and curses quietly beneath his breath, planning to smack Mikey hard across the back of the head later. He grabs the phone from its cradle and greets informally, "Yo.".

"Is Leo there?" asks a feminine voice from the other end. Clapping his hand over the receiver, Raph yells, "Leo! Phone's for you! I think it's Rachel!"

Leo's eyes snap open at her name, and the usually serene turtle leaps from his bamboo mat. He hurtles himself toward the phone and stops just short of Raph, barely avoiding a collision. He snatches the phone from Raph's hand and waves Raph away, clearing his throat. Lifting the receiver to his ear, he says with calm restored, "Hello, this is Leonardo speaking."

"Hi, Leo," Rachel responds, and from the softness in her voice, he can tell she's smiling, so gentle, so warm…

"…Leo? Leo, are you still there? Stupid phone," she mutters, thinking she lost her connection. His senses return to him and he practically shouts frantically, "Wait! I'm still here. So, what were you saying?"

She frowns at his odd behavior, but explains, "I was just wondering if you would like to go out to this really fun karaoke place on Saturday?" Hearing the hesitation on his end, she suggests, "We could go on a group date with your brothers and some other girls they know, if you want."

Leo considers this and asks, "Can you hold on for a moment?" He covers the receiver with his hand and holds it away from his mouth, asking, "Raph! Mikey! Don! You up for a group date on Saturday?"

He is answered by shocked blinks, so Leo returns to his conversation and replies decidedly, "Yeah, I'd like that. Raph, Don and Mikey seem excited too." The three drafted against their will make threatening hand gestures toward Leo. He ignores them completely as Rachel has begun speaking again.

"That's great," she exclaims enthusiastically, then moves on to pressing matters. "Who's providing transportation? I would, but I don't think a Toyota Corolla is going to cut it."

He chuckles and assures, "Don't worry; we can use the Battle Shell."

To his unintentional use of the words 'Battle Shell', both Mikey and Raph mouth 'idiot'. Don slaps his forehead and shakes his head in disappointment at his usually collected sibling's slip-up.

"Is that what you call your car?" Rachel enquires, amused by Leo's nickname for his vehicle. Much too late, Leo realizes what he's said, and lies feebly, "Yeah, it's really big and we used to…play spies in it when we were kids."

"Aw, that's so cute! Young children making a game out of assassination and espionage, because of that good old fashioned programming our country provides to mold and form the minds of our future leaders," Rachel coos sarcastically. Leo laughs and she grins happily, saying, "Alright, so you'll drive us to and from the restaurant?"

Still caught in his fit of laughter, he responds, "Yeah, we'll pick you up at 6:30. Bye, Rachel."

"My house is 127 Gorman's avenue. Bye, Leo," she bids, and the receiver lands with a soft click. Once he's sure she's hung up, Leo allows himself to drift absentmindedly on cloud nine, but is knocked off abruptly by Raphael, who chastises, "Using us to get a date? Poor form, Leo."

"Don, Mikey, Raph, please come along, _please_?" Leo pleads. Leo has never begged before, surprising as much as it delights his brothers. Feeling sympathy for Leo, Michelangelo goes to his room in. He returns with a comic book and retrieves a scrap of paper from where it held his place. He motions for Leo to toss him the phone and punches the numbers swiftly into the keypad.

"Hello, is Samantha there? ...My name is Michelangelo…no, I've not dropped out of school…no, I'm not looking for a fling…I'm not an escaped criminal…no, I'm not on drugs…"

Mikey suddenly hears Sam whisper angrily at her father, "Dad! Give me the phone! He's the nice guy I met a few nights ago. Now _leave_!"

Her father chuckles, and Mikey can hear him beg, "Stop hitting me with that Star Trek book, I haven't finished reading it yet!" Mikey grins as Samantha sighs tiredly and says, "Hi, Mikey, sorry about my dad, but he finds a strange pleasure in bothering everyone who calls our house for me."

Shrugging, he replies, "S'okay, my dad is nosey too. I was just calling to ask if you want to go to a karaoke restaurant on a group date this Saturday?"

Sam's heart leaps and her stomach flutters. "I'd love to!" she replies excitedly jumping up from her seat. Noticing how desperate she sounds, she coughs in embarrassment and asks more calmly, "What time?"

"I'll pick you up quarter to seven," he promises. She smiles and says, "'Kay Mikey, thanks. I live at 17 Eaves street. Bye!"

"Bye," he responds, and sets the phone down with a satisfying click. Popping his invisible collar, Mikey gloats, "And that's how it's done." Don glances at his brothers for a second and retrieves his shell-cell from a tan duffel bag on an arm chair. His fingers tremble as he pushes speed dial number six. The phone rings three times and a girl sounding no older than twelve lifts the receiver and says, "Hello?"

"Is Lily there?" he asks, steadying his voice.

"One minute," the girl orders, and sets the phone down on what sounds like a hard table or counter. He hears the padding of feet and the line is quiet for a second. Then: "Lily! The phone's for you! It's a _boy_!" the girl bellows. It's almost impossible to believe such a loud noise could come from someone so small. He hears some muffled conversation and then Lily's heavenly voice enquires, "Hi, is it you, Don?"

Genuinely confused, he asks, "How'd you know?"

"We have caller ID," she replies. _'Shell. Way to go, idiot.' _Despite his embarrassment, Don barrels on, "I was wondering if you would like to go out on Saturday night to a karaoke restaurant? It's a group date."

"Saturday night?" she echoes, hope filling her voice. Her eyes twinkle animatedly as she twists a blond lock of hair around her index finger causing her sister's eyes to light up. Seeing her serious, brainiac of a sister go into flirt mode because of the boy on the other line excites her. She grins mischievously and demands coyly, "Is he your _boyfriend_?"

_'I hope he didn't hear that,' _Lily says to herself, pressing her finger to her lips to hush her sister. Returning to the phone, she responds sincerely, "That would be great, Don." A nervous lump forms in Don's throat but he quickly swallows it, continuing diligently, "We'll pick you up around seven. By the way, where _do_ we pick you up?"

"84 Coleman road. Bye, Donatello," Lily murmurs, smiling. Closing his eyes for a second thankfully, Don says, "Okay, I'll see you on Saturday. Bye, Lily."

The moment he hangs up, Lily practically faints into the warmth of his farewell. She almost drops the receiver as she hangs it up. "He _is_ your boyfriend!" her sister states smugly, giggling. Lily ignores her sister's teasing and rests her head against the cold plaster wall smiling at the thought of Saturday night.

"Your turn, Raphie," Mikey remarks, seeming back to his normal, make-fun-of-Raph-any-way-he-can-and-everyone-else-for-that-matter, self. Raphael picks up the phone and dials Vanessa's number with certainty. It rings four times, and just as he is about to hang up someone answers.

"Hello?" and older female voice says.

"Hi…um, my name is Raphael…is Vanessa there?"

"Oh, yes! Vanessa told me _all _about you," the woman exclaims excitedly, then asks politely, "Dear, could you hold on a moment while I go get her?" It's good that Raph doesn't answer because she leaves without waiting for him to say anything. Raphael hears soft footsteps, and then winces when her mother shouts loudly, "Vanessa! The phone is for you, honey! It's Raphael."

"Really?! I'm coming!" Vanessa says, and he hears the pounding of her running feet replaced seconds later by a breathless Vanessa. "Hello!" she bids as calmly as possible, and he replies, "Hi, it's Raph."

"Hi!" she exclaims a bit too eagerly. _'Oops. I said that already.' _Vanessa regains her composure and asks grandly, "To what do I owe the honor?"

"I was just wonderin' if yer busy this Saturday?" Raph asks, expecting her to say yes. "Not particularly. Why?" she enquires lightly, waiting for him ask what she's been hoping for the past week.

"I want to ask you to go out on Saturday to a karaoke restaurant. My brothers and some friends are coming too," he tells her casually, sounding more collected than he feels. Who knew it was so hard to talk to a girl on the phone?

Vanessa grins from ear to ear. She lets the phone fall gently on the couch, hopping up and down while releasing a squeal of joy. Just as hurriedly she returns the receiver to her ear and gushes, "That would be great. What time will I need to get there?"

"I'll pick you up 'bout ten after seven. Bye Vaness-wait! Where do I pick you up?"

"69 Larsman street. Bye, Raph," she says softly, worried that if she's too loud she'll wake up from the dream. Raph smiles and says, "See ya Saturday."

As Raph hangs up the phone, Mikey marvels, "Nice going bro, she sounds excited." He considers Raph for a few seconds and demands, "Did you pay her to go out with you? I can't think of why else she would want to date you!"

"Can it Mikey," Raph growls, storming out of the room. "An' it ain't a date!" he adds fiercely. Once Raph's door closes, Mikey looks at Leo and insists, "It's a date."

Raph leans his head on the door to his room and sighs. He can't figure out whether or not his feelings are real. Finding his thoughts often stray to her, he feels ashamed that he's so excited about a girl he just met. At the same time, he can't stop himself. I mean, it's not just _any_ girl; she is the most _amazing_ girl on the planet, although he doesn't have many experiences to go on. _"There was a connection the other night, I didn't imagine it. Did I?"_

Vanessa's sentiments are similar to Raph's at her house. As she sits on the tan couch with her knees tucked up to her chest, her arms clutching her calves, she ponders what just happened. From around the doorframe, her mother's face pops up, the top of the door almost two feet above her brunette hair. Hazel eyes sparkling in interest, she pads into the room slyly and pries, "So?"

"'So' what?" Vanessa counters, uncomfortable that her mother is so upfront.

"How can I be more obvious, Nessa?" her mother sighs. When Vanessa looks away, she asks, "What did you talk about? Did he ask you on a date? I need details!"

Vanessa shifts nervously, annoyed that her mother guessed right. _'Stupid mom sense.'_ Aiming for nonchalance, she replies, "He asked me on a group date, it's no big deal-"

"Don't give me that Nessa! You were jumping up and down!" interrupts her mother, laughing at her daughter's attempt to be inconspicuous. A brilliant flush brushed across her cheeks, Vanessa laughs and admits sheepishly, "I guess I got a little excited…"

Her mother gives her a knowing smile, along with a wink, and she leaves her daughter alone to contemplate.

_Hehehe._

_The boys are going on second dates! Vanessa's mom was my favorite to write about in this chapter, she is so funny. I'm annoying like that too! _:D

_Anyway, really short chapter and not that interesting, but it is vital to establish the 'first date mood'. Better, more exciting chapters on the way (with some action, if ya know what I mean)_ ;)

_Thanks for reading, and please review!_

_PS-Any negative comments will be changed only slightly and sent to Shredder as a manifesto of what we think of the big meanie._


	7. Date Night

_Disclaimer: The TMNT are not in my possession, nor will they be until I overthrow the Mirage studios and make my own empire. At this point, I will assemble the world's greatest scientists and make them create a machine to make living versions of the TMNT. Donatello will be mine and the other three will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. I also don't own the movie 'Back to the Future', any of the super heroes mentioned, or any of the songs in this chapter. However, I own Vanessa, Sam, Rachel, Lily, her sister and Carmen._

_Enjoy the chapter!_

_PS-I would like to make a note. In my humble fan fiction, the turtles are almost four years older, and in this time the boys have grown. They range from five foot seven to five foot ten, so they're going to be tall. I care not for accuracy, but for my own selfish wishes. On with the story!_

_PS- Chapter edited March 10__th__ 2010_

Considering she suggested the date, it's strange that Rachel is nervous. When she was getting dressed, her anxiety wasn't noticeable. Now that she's not concentrating on anything, it's impossible for her to keep calm. She kills time by checking her appearance once again in the mirror by the door. Rachel smoothes her hair and brushes an eyelash from her cheek. Perfect. Just then, bright white headlights create moving shadows across the living room walls announcing her date's arrival. Breathing out loudly Rachel seats herself on the couch, waiting tensely. It seems an eternity before the doorbell rings. Rachel stands slowly and strides confidently to the door. Inhaling a deep calming breath, she opens it to reveal Leonardo.

She feels her stomach tighten. _'He's even better looking than last time!'_ she panics, worrying that she'll look frumpy next to him. Leo black pants and light blue dress shirt that accentuate his muscles. Rachel's legs turn to Jell-O and she smiles dazzlingly to cover her nervousness, commenting, "Hey Leo, lookin' good. I just have to grab my coat." She ducks into the closet and sifts through her clothes hurriedly as her cheeks burn. _'What a lame comment!' _she admonishes herself, hoping that he doesn't expect her to speak normally on their date.

As she searches in the closet, Leo's eyes absorb every aspect of her physique: the way her hair shines, the way her jeans hug her toned legs and the way her coral cap sleeved blouse makes her arms seem tanned in the evening light. When she emerges with a black blazer in hand, Leo manages to say, "You look great, Rachel."

"Let's get going, we don't want to keep your brothers waiting," Rachel suggests, averting attention from herself. Inside she's grinning to the compliment but on the outside, her cheeks are still flushed in embarrassment. Tugging the door shut and locking it, she leads Leo down the cracked stone stairs to the Battle Shell. He reaches out to help Rachel into the van, but she jumps up into it with ease. Rachel seats herself next the brown haired man in the back, whom she knows to be Donatello. He smiles politely and asks about her day, the blond next to him—Mikey, she now recalls—greeting her warmly. The driver waves at her throws a quick, "Hey," over his shoulder. By process of elimination, she concludes that the dark haired man in the front seat is Raph. She smiles and greets him, clicking her seatbelt. Once they're all securely fastened, Raph floors the gas. The armored car lurches forward and the passengers jerk forward. Raph's brothers are annoyed at his reckless driving, but Rachel seems to enjoy zooming down the street, smiling widely in the back seat.

All too soon, they halt at 69 Larsman Street. Vanessa's house faces them proudly with gleaming gold numbers displayed beside a proper mail box; a short paved walkway lined by small lanterns leads to the oak door.

"Talk about ritzy," Mikey mutters as Raphael hops out of the Battle Shell. He rights his shirt and saunters up to the impressive door. Jabbing the doorbell, his foot taps the stoop nervously as he waits. Moments later a man in his mid forties opens the door, politely asking, "Are you Raphael?"

"Yeah, is Vanessa ready?" Raph enquires, craning his neck to see around the man in the doorway. A pleasant smile on his face, the man insists, "Please come in, she'll be along in a minute." Before Raph can object, he leads Raph down the hall. Only now does Raph realize that the man is shorter than he, his lean body causing him to look even smaller next to Raph. His pale skin practically reflects the lamplight, the sole hint that Vanessa is his daughter. His scalp shines through thinningchestnut hair and square rimmed glasses frame his dark brown eyes. His smile welcoming, he ushers Raph to the illuminated living room and sticks out his hand in gesture, introducing himself, "My name's George, I'm Vanessa's father."

"I gathered that," Raph replies as he shakes his hand. _'Damn! I just sounded like a smart-ass! Nice goin' Raph.'_

To Raph's momentary relief, a woman with brown hair and round cheeks enters the room. He assumes that she's Vanessa's mother, although she resembles her daughter no more than her husband. Confused, Raph wonders, _'Where the heck did Vanessa get her looks? They look nothin' like her!'_

A big smile on her face, the woman greets enthusiastically, "Hello, Raphael, it's _so _nice to meet you. Please, come sit." She motions toward the cream couch and though the seat is inviting, Raph doesn't want to stay much longer. He's itching to get out of the hot seat. Thankfully, Vanessa walks into the room not a minute later. She wears a pair of white capri pants topped by a red empire waisted shirt, her black hair pulled back neatly. Noticing her parents and the panic in Raph's eyes, she interjects into her father's babbling on NASCAR, "Hey mom and dad, this is Raphael. We're going to the karaoke restaurant on Third Street. I promise that no one will drink alcohol, we're going with Raphael's brothers and some friends, he will have me home by 11:45 and all the people in the vehicle have their license and an ID."

"Wow, you covered just about everything, didn't you? And in one breath! I'm impressed," her father compliments to the declaration, raising his eyebrows toward his daughter. Batting him playfully, Vanessa's mother scolds, "Let her go, George," giving her daughter a secretive smile. As a final warning, she urges, "Have fun, and be safe."

"Sure Mrs…uh…" Raph trails off, coming up with a blank on Vanessa's last name. Sympathy apparent in her smile for the young man, she introduces herself, "Amy McMillan."

"Okay, Mrs. McMillan, I'll have her home on time," he assures. Before Vanessa leaves, her mother catches her hand and whispers, "We won't be home 'til twelve thirty," pressing a key into her daughter's hand and giving her a swift kiss on the forehead. Vanessa nods and calls, "Bye!" Once outside, the pair descends the stairs at an alarming pace, shaken by the awkwardness of the meeting. Raph reviews what he said to her parents fretfully as he opens the door for Vanessa, unintentionally impressing her. _'He's quite the gentleman.'_

When Vanessa's in her seat, Raph swings the door shut and climbs into the driver's seat. Thoughts buzzing throughout his head, he turns the key in the ignition, sets the vehicle in reverse, and pulls out of the driveway cleanly. He shifts back to drive and motors down the deserted street.

"Remind me, why'd we let him drive?" Leo wonders aloud, earning himself a few laughs from the other passengers and a growl from the driver.

Samantha's apartment looms over Mikey, the turtle taking in a strained breath and mounting the stairs. What feels like seventy floors later, he comes upon her apartment and rings the doorbell. The door opens not two seconds later to reveal Sam, who has been standing there for the past ten minutes. Her honey-brown hair is held together in a loose ponytail, her pants dark wash denim. On top, she wears a blue halter with a modest neckline.

"Hey Mikey," she greets, giving him her flirtiest smile. Once the cat releases his tongue, he stutters, "Hi, Sam…you look beautiful."

_ 'Stupid! Don't look there, she'll think you're a pervert!'_ his brain screams at him as he mistakenly looks at Sam's chest. Mikey gives his head a shake and looks up at her face, hoping she didn't notice him looking at her breasts. Keeping his focus on her eyes, he continues more confidently, "Let's go, or Raph'll make us walk." He reaches out for Sam's hand and they are about to leave when they hear a loud exclamation.

"Hold on! I need pictures," orders a woman from behind Sam, hands up as if maintaining a force field. Mikey guesses she's the mother by the look of mortified horror on Sam's face.

"Mo-om," Sam groans, outright embarrassed at her mother's behavior.

"Just two, then you can leave," her mother says. Giving Mikey an apologetic look, Sam stands next to him and plasters a convincing smile on her face. The camera clicks. _'One flash. That means one to go,'_ Sam says to herself, impatient for her freedom.

Mikey suddenly gets an idea (there's a first time for everything). Acting fast, he braces one arm beneath Sam's shoulder blades for support and places the other under the tendons of her knees, lifting Sam effortlessly (I didn't say it was a _good_ idea).

Sam squeals in shock and her mother laughs as she snaps the photo. Sam's mother presses the view button and bursts into giggles, holding out the camera to show Sam and Mikey the moment captured on film. In the photo, Mikey grins like a loon, obviously pleased with himself; Sam has a look of comical surprise on her face, somehow making it a cute picture. Sam's mother looks at them from the corner of her eye and raises a brow. It's then they both realize that Mikey is still cradling Sam, her arms wrapped around his neck for support. Mikey blushes and sets her down, Sam quickly withdrawing her arms from his neck.

"Alright kids, you have fun now, and be safe," Sam's mother says, adding as she kisses Sam's temple, "Be home by eleven thirty."

"Bye, Sam's mom," Mikey jokes, but clears his throat and corrects himself, "I mean Mrs. Connahan. Sorry." He smiles reproachfully and Samantha's mother nods in approval, whispering, "He's a keeper."

Sam turns lobster red and wheels around, opening the door with a rushed goodbye. Mikey follows behind Sam as she walks down the stairs at a fast clip, smiling to himself. When they reach the vehicle outside, Mikey opens the door with a gesture and says in a British accent, "My lady."

She laughs and takes his hand, stepping into the large van. Mikey jumps in and closes the door behind him, seating himself next to Sam. Sam buckles her seatbelt and smiles at him, glad that it's dark in the car. At least no one can see her blush.

"Are you sure you don't mind baby-sitting, Carm?" Lily asks for the ump-teenth time, tugging a yellow shirt over her head. Deciding against it, she pulls a face and whips it off without a second thought. Unintelligible dialogue comes from the other side of the bathroom door. Heaving a sigh Lily opens the door adjoined to her bedroom, slipping a green shirt over her head.

"What was that?" she asks, observing herself in the mirror. She mutters something self deprecating under her breath and pulls it off, hunting in the pile of clothes on the floor for something decent. Chewing the remaining bite of apple in her mouth and letting it slide down her throat, Carmen repeats, "I said it's really no trouble, I had nothing else to do. Besides, you haven't been out on a date in at least two months. I'm glad you're getting back out there, Lily."

Stretching, Carmen pushes her long bangs from her eyes and lies flat on the bed, looking away from Lily as she changes her shirt yet again. She looks up after a rustling of fabric when Lily asks, "What do you think? Be brutal."

"You look _HOT_, baby!" Carmen crows, laughing at Lily's disapproving facial expression. Grin enormous, Carmen sits up cross-legged and exclaims, "Look out, fellas! Lily's back on the market!"

"Shut up," Lily insists, crossing her arms over her chest. Bad idea. Whoever manufactures camisoles should definitely put a tag reading 'Warning: whether you have breasts or not, this item of clothing will show cleavage' on all their merchandise. Snorting at Lily's ignorance to her own beauty, Carmen asks nonchalantly, "So, who is this guy? Is he a lawyer? You would be good with a guy like that: money, intelligence, looks, money, sweet rides, penthouses… did I mention money?"

At her friend's deliberate shallowness, Lily laughs, replying, "No, he's not a lawyer, but he _is_ really smart, is interested in engineering, is one of the most polite guys I've ever met, and is really good looking." The air is sliced by the loud sound of Carmen smacking her knee, and she applauds, "Jackpot!"

As Carmen says this, the doorbell rings. Lily jumps and leaps over the bed, her eyes sparkling excitedly. Carmen laughs and jokes, "Aren't we a little excited?" Closing her hand on the door knob, Lily replies lightly, "Only a little." Carmen notices how Lily's hand shakes and stands, placing an assuring hand on Lily's shoulder. Quietly, she soothes, "It's gonna be fine, hon," giving her a quick hug. Lily relaxes for a moment, until a voice calls, "I'll get it!"

"Oh, shoot!" Lily says, opening the door and realizing she forgot her pants. She rushes to the bed and grabs her jeans, pulling them on roughly. Carmen rolls her eyes and insists, "You're going to be fine."

"Not if Grace beats me to the door," Lily replies, buttoning her jeans.

Don's brown converse squeak as he rocks from heels to toes, his heart thumping in his chest. Don glances at his watch and worries he's late. Deducing his punctuality is untarnished, he reaches out to press the doorbell a second time, startled when the door is thrown wide. A lean teenage girl with blond hair and green eyes looks up at him. She's like a miniature Lily. She wears a grin much too large for her face and her eyes flit over his body. This somehow makes Donatello self conscious and he tugs at his sleeve. The girl giggles and calls over her shoulder, "Lily! It's your _boyfriend_ at the door!"

Don flushes and glues his eyes to the floor in embarrassment. His eyes are pried from the laminate click wood floor when two others enter the cramped hallway. There is Lily, followed by an unfamiliar woman much too young to be her mother. The other woman is toffee skinned with silken, raven hair and exotic plum eyes, a rare beauty; however, Don only has eyes for Lily. Her blond hair is in a clean chignon at the nape of her neck, her green eyes intensified by a rose colored camisole covered by a white cardigan; the jeans she wears show off her slim legs and hips, making her look taller. Lily smiles shyly at him, eyeing his toned body through his lilac dress shirt and relaxed dark jeans. Satisfied, she bends over to slip on her shoes, interrupted when her sister whispers loud enough in her ear for the other two to hear, "He's cute."

Lily's eyes dart toward the girl's in warning. Don knows that look. In an effort to avoid a family feud, he smiles and asks, "Is this your sister?"

The girl folds her arms across her chest and apprises, "I _do_ have a name," in mock offense. Glad to have a bit of attention, she continues her introduction. "I'm Grace, and I'll be your supervision this evening. Just in case," she adds, flashing him a smile and winking. Don's eyes rise to Lily's face, amused to see her reaction. Lily smiles but gives Grace's shoulder a tight squeeze that speaks louder than any words. Grace will be in big trouble if she doesn't shut up. Grace smiles and Lily's kind disposition returns as she murmurs goodbye to her sister. Before she heads out the door, she gestures toward her friend with flourish.

"This is my friend Carmen; babysitter, accountant and author extraordinaire," Lily summarizes, smiling as Don shakes Carmen's hand daintily. She gives Carmen a fast hug, then suggests hastily to Don, "Let's go."

He holds the door for her and she passes through. Lily's quite proud for herself, as she's remained calm the whole time with Don. All hope for being cool and collected is shattered when he holds out a pink rose from behind his back. Eyes wide, Lily stammers, "Thank you," and caresses the smooth petals with her fingers. She practically floats down the stairs, being careful not to stumble. Don heaves open the metal door of the van, but before they can escape, Grace runs out onto the step of the duplex and calls out, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Of course, all the passengers in the vehicle can hear and see the stoop clearly. Lily closes her eyes for a second and then turns, calling forcefully, "Goodbye, Grace!"

Grace grins and disappears in the house, her goal to embarrass her sister complete. Don chuckles softly and lifts Lily into the Battle Shell, leaping lithely in after her. A girl with long black hair, large blue eyes and high cheekbones in the back asks with an amused smile, "Is that your sister?"

"Unfortunately yes," Lily quips, smiling tiredly. Sticking out a nimble hand formally, she says, "My name's Lily."

"I'm Vanessa," the woman replies, shaking Lily's hand. _'Wow. She's strong,_' Lily notes as she withdraws her hand, reassessing Vanessa's build. The woman next to Lily with honey brunette hair and an irresistible smile greets, "Hi, I'm Sam." The woman beside Sam tucks a mahogany lock behind her ear and holds her hand, introducing herself as Rachel. Lily shakes it with a friendly smile on her face, which becomes a confused expression when the man in the driver's seat sighs impatiently.

"Now that we've established who everyone is, can we go?" he demands, adding stiffly, "Please?"

From beside her, a flaxen haired man chuckles, replying, "Yes Raphie, we can get moving." Turning slightly from his brother he mutters, "Gosh, he can be so cranky."

"I heard that, Mike," Raph says, revving the engine. Lily's body lurches forward as the vehicle hurtles down the street. They are jostled in the car by Raph's sharp turns and screeching halts at the stop lights. In no time, they arrive at the bedazzled restaurant. With uncommon grace, Raph glides the van into the parking space, cutting the engine short. Leo pulls open the door and jumps from the car in one fluid movement, landing gently. He assists each girl from the van and sets her solidly on the ground. Mikey hops from the armored car and aims for Leo's arms. Unimpressed by his brother's immaturity, Leo steps back, resulting in Mikey landing on his backside. He stands and rubs his bum, muttering, "Shell, that hurt!"

When they invade the restaurant, the group discovers that there are only tables for two left. All secretly glad by their stroke of luck, the pairs move to their respective tables. Raphael pulls out a chair for Vanessa and she sits down, examining him as he seats himself across from her. To start some conversation, she wonders, "Where on earth did you get a car like that?"

"Donny built it, he loves that stuff," Raph responds, then continues on, "One year for his birthday he asked for a toaster, and he used it to make a working motor for our red wagon!"

"That's amazing!" Vanessa exclaims, and asks, "How old was he then?"

"'Bout eight or nine. Now he's even more talented with a wrench. He built my motorcycle," he mentions, proud of his brother and his "baby". Playing with her fork, Vanessa enquires while balancing the utensil on her finger, "How old are your brothers?"

Raph's reply is delayed only slightly as he desperately makes up ages off the top of his head based on their maturity levels. He knows that if he said they were all nineteen, Vanessa would have quite a few uncomfortable questions. It's best to stay unattached.

"Leo's 24, I'm 23, Don's 21, and Mike's 19 going on 20, although you'd think he's turnin' eight," he lies quickly.

_ 'At least I'm tellin' the truth 'bout Mikey…okay, so he'll be twenty in five months…same diff. It's not __**exactly**__ a lie, it's just a twist on the truth. It's not like I can tell her the truth, I mean, what would she say?'_

"Your mom must have had her hands full when you were young," Vanessa notes, chuckling at the image of four young boys popping into her head. She then considers what a living nightmare the puberty must have been for their mother, and feels very sympathetic for a woman she doesn't know, yet admires. After all, Raph got his manners from somewhere. Releasing a sigh, Raph lies regretfully, "Actually, our mom died when Mikey was born."

Vanessa claps her hand over her mouth, appalled at her lack of consideration. Feeling like an idiot she whispers, "Oh, I'm _so_ sorry, that was terrible of me-"

"Nah, it's fine. It's been a long time. I'm okay now," he interrupts, feeling guilty for lying to her. To wipe the ashamed expression from her face, he asks, "How'd ya wind up in New York? Did ya move here?" Based on her foreign beauty, he guesses she comes from a far away place. A wholesome place where there's fresh air and wide open spaces. A place where everyone's accents, values, noses, butts and breasts are real.

"No," she replies to his surprise. "I was born and raised in the Big Apple. How about you?"

"Same story," he summarizes, and is about to ask more when a waiter comes over. They each accept the menus he holds out and thank him. Once he's gone they bury their noses in the menus in an effort to pretend the date is absolutely no pressure. None whatsoever.

"Do you believe that some day we'll have the technology to build time machines and actually travel through the centuries?" Lily wonders, the discussion about 'Back to the Future' moving on to other things. Don forms his answer carefully so as not to let future knowledge slip out and replies, "My thesis is that if one could somehow devise an energy link between the rotation of the earth and the rules of time and space, one could create a portal of some sort that could send one to a different point in time. However, one may not be able to choose exactly where or when in the early stages. Unfortunately, that could very well cause utter chaos in both present and future, as well as quite possibly destroy all space and time, making it unadvisable, but yes, I believe it's feasible."

She smiles, loving it when he thinks industriously. His hand clasps his chin in thought as one eyebrow travels up his forehead, the other furrowing deeply. It's just so cute; she can't help but gaze at him intently, wondering what he's deciphering. Lily is snapped out of her trance as his eyes find hers suddenly, looking expectant. Her eyes fall to her lap and a flush forms brilliantly on her cheeks. Although Don notices, he doesn't say anything, remembering how many times she caught him looking at her last week. Thinking on his toes, Don returns on the subject of global warming, a subject completely forgotten when they began talking about 'Back to the Future' and time travel.

Off at a table ten meters away, Sam is roaring with laughter at Mikey's jokes. One of her fits gets out of hand, and she accidentally snorts, covering her nose and blushing. Mikey is unable to suppress the urge to laugh and Sam's jaw drops in surprise. Pretends to be offended, she jokes, "Really, making fun of me? And on a date no less! I may have to sic Spiderman on you."

"Oh no!" Mikey gasps, a hint of laughter in his voice, "Not Spiderman! I'm quaking with fear."

Smiling defiantly, Sam brags, "You should be! I also have Silver Sentry's and the Turtle Titan's numbers on speed dial," and continues to giggle. Mikey raises his eyebrows in surprise, not taking Sam to be the comic book type. As casually as possible, he asks, "Do you like the Turtle Titan?"

A sheepish expression on her face, she confesses, "My brother is into comic books, and he somehow got me into the Turtle Titan. Besides Spiderman, he's my favorite super hero." A moment later, she apologizes, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you that, now you're stuck with crazy turtle girl for the rest of the evening."

He shrugs his shoulders, replying, "I'm worse. I'm obsessed with video games, I'm oblivious to reality, and my stomach controls my brain."

"Who will save the poor comic obsessed geeks?" she demands dramatically, a short pause filling the air between them. A grin slowly forming on both faces, they answer in unison, "The Turtle Titan!" laughing over their odd, obscure mania.

Leo can faintly hear their laughter from his corner, in the midst of a conversation about art.

"I think that video gaming, sports, and even deception can be an art," Rachel argues, but Leo stands fast in his place, completely ignoring her reasoning. Releasing an exasperated sigh, she asks him, "Do you think the Martial Arts are an art form?"

"Of course, it has the word 'art' in the name!" he replies with vindication. Leo has just backed himself into a corner unknowingly and Rachel retorts, "Dance doesn't have the word art in it, and neither does Song. Does that mean they're not forms of art?"

He finds no way to retaliate this, and empowered by his silence, she bowls on, "Anything that individuals put passion, dedication, hard work and flare into can be considered an art form."

No one could argue against that, and realizing he's lost the debate, Leo tries to come up with a new topic. He is pulled from his brainstorm when he sees Mikey beckoning him in a frenzied fashion, standing with his other brothers. Leo excuses himself and strides over to his brothers, leader mode taking over as he asks with worry apparent in his tone, "What is it?"

"No idea; all of a sudden this nut is waving me over," Raph responds, and then demands, "What's up, Mike?"

"Do you want to bring the girls on stage to do karaoke?" he asks plainly. Leo, Don and Raph stare at Mikey as if he's grown a second head, the refusal floating behind each pair of lips. In the most pathetic voice he can muster, Mikey pleads, "You can't let me go up with Sam alone, I'll seize up. You know how much girls love that," he adds sarcastically.

Raph grumbles something about looking like an idiot, Don rolls his eyes, and Leo sighs, the trio agreeing with a martyred air. They couldn't submit Mikey to such shame, although it would be funny. Honor over humor. Elated he's won, Mikey gives them all a tackle hug, his brothers returning it halfheartedly. Other customers have started staring at them as Mikey chants the mantra of, "!"

The siblings separate, and each goes to convince their date to join in on the "fun". Unfortunately, the girls don't give in without a fight.

"I'm sorry Don, but I can't do karaoke," Lily apologizes, though not all that sorry to refuse his proposal. Don's eyes are so soft, so pleading, so…beautiful. She gives her head the smallest jerk to clear it of these thoughts, and in sheer desperation, Don bribes, "I'll do anything if you say yes!" He's piqued her interest. Tilting her head sweetly to the side, she echoes, "Anything?"

"Anything," he repeats truthfully. She considers it a second and decides to take what is offered to her, agreeing as she stands, "Alright."

"Aren't you going to ask me for anything?" he asks, relieved he persuaded her. He has to hurry his steps to keep up with her brisk pace as she is already headed toward the stage. Shrugging her shoulders, Lily reminds him, "You already promised me anything. I'll make my decision later." Don feels something pull in his stomach and realizes that perhaps _anything_ wasn't the best thing to promise.

"No way, I am _not_ going up there," Rachel replies, seeming disgusted at the thought.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Leo entices, although he doesn't even convince himself.

"Absolutely not!"

"Please?"

"No!"

"Please?"

"No."

"Please, Rachel?"

"No..."

"Rachel, please?"

"…no?"

"Is that a yes?"

"No-I…fine, but I can't promise I'll be great," she mutters, arms crossed across her chest. Shrugging his shoulders, Leo responds, "Neither can I."

Vanessa was a little harder to break.

"No Raph, I'm _not going to_!" she whispers loudly, refusing his request for the sixth time in a row. Eyes pleading, he begs, "Please? You'll make Mikey ecstatically happy!"

She doesn't budge, replying, "You can't make me."

"…Oh can't I?"

His frown becomes a smirk as he lifts her from her seat and carries her in the direction of his brothers and the ladies with them despite her angry protests. The outraged muttering worries him as Vanessa hasn't yet stopped, and to quiet her he whispers in a husky voice against the soft skin of her neck, "Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

This sends a chill down her spine and she stops complaining. Before she knows it, she's set back on her feet in front of her new acquaintances, all chuckling behind their hands or hiding their laughter by coughing loudly. She recovers her dignity, though a she's a little lightheaded after the physical contact, short and unromantic as it was. Vanessa forgets to be peeved at him because of the warm fluttery feeling that blew across her skin while he held her that close. The sensation leaves her in a daze, so she allows him to get away with dragging her to karaoke against her will. In the back of her mind, she resolves to dig into him the next time he tries that again.

"Alright, now that everyone's on board, what song are we gonna do?" Mikey wonders. The group thinks hard until Rachel asks, "Has everyone seen _Grease_?"

By the incredulous looks she gets, she assumes everyone has. Clapping her hands together she says, "I'll go tell the DJ what song, you just be ready."

She disappears in the darkness of the behind the stage, the seven standing awkwardly at the foot of the stairs leading to the stage. Rachel promptly joins them and takes her place on stage, waving Leo on. He swallows hard, doubts invading his mind, but before he can high-tail it, Mikey shoves him onto the first step. Faced with no choice, Leo walks up to the microphone nervously and glances at Rachel out of the corner of his eye for reassurance. A grin forms on Rachel's face as a familiar tune blasts from the speakers, drowning out the cheering of the restaurant goers. Leo chances to look up at the sea of faces. He knows the song, yet would rather die than sing it in front of so many people, not wanting to look a fool. The words flash suddenly on the screen, and in a shaky voice he begins to sing uncertainly,

"_I got chills they're multiplying,  
And I'm losing control  
Cause the power you're supplying,  
It's electrifying!"  
_

Rachel giggles to the lightheartedness that takes over before the last line, a new Leo replacing the serious, no-nonsense stiff. Her eyes flit to the screen, though she knows the words, and adding some flare to her singing with a small bit of dancing, she sings quite decently,

_  
"You better shape up cause I need a man  
And my heart is set on you,  
You better shape up, you better understand  
To my heart I must be true (nothing left, nothing left for me to do)."_

The pair take their leave, and Raph and Vanessa begin singing the chorus, both laughing at themselves.__

"You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey,  
You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey,  
You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey,  
The one that I need oh yes indeed."

Vanessa tugs Raph off the stage, Mikey and Sam stealing the spotlight. Inhaling a shallow breath, Sam begins singing, __

"If you're filled with affection,  
You're too shy to convey,  
Meditate in my direction,  
Feel your way."

That voice! Mikey has to do a double take, to see if it's really Sam singing. His stomach does a small flip when at the third line, she motions with her fingers for him to bring it. Sucking in a quick breath, Mikey sings with his voice wavering because of the too-low melody, __

"I better shape up, cause you need a man,"

Right on cue, Sam adds,

"_I need a man  
Who can keep me satisfied."  
_

Clearing his throat, he continues,

"_I better shape up, if I'm gonna prove,"_

She cuts in again at her turn,

"_You better prove  
That my faith is justified."  
_

"_Are you sure?" _

He asks, and smiling with radiance all her own, she sings,

"_Yes I'm sure down deep inside."_

Well, bummer. How do you follow that? Don and Lily share a look and sing in their compatible, soft voices,

"_You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey  
You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey  
You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey  
The one that I need oh yes indeed."_

For some fun, all eight join in for one last chorus

"_You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey  
You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey  
You're the one that I want (You are the one I want) oh oh oh honey  
The one that I need oh yes indeed."_

Spectators applauding enthusiastically, they all flush slightly and scurry off the stage, wondering, _'Why did I do that?'_

"Your voice was very pretty," Donatello murmurs in Lily's ear, and her flush deepening in hue, she replies shyly, "Thanks, you sounded good too."

Her green eyes are held by his coffee colored eyes, entranced by their discernment, and it takes the loud crash of cutlery clattering to the floor to rouse both, each pair of eyes darting from the other. Don glances as his hands as he sits and Lily looks down at the laces of Don's shoes. It's too bad they're the same color as his eyes, mocking her rudely as if cackling, _'Ha! You can't even look into his eyes without blushing!'_

_ 'Yes I can!' _she asserts indignantly in her head, then remembers how fast she glanced away the moment he caught her eye up on stage. Grudgingly, she admits to herself, '_Okay, maybe I can't, but these things begin with baby steps.' _She suddenly wonders, _'Why am I having imaginary conversations with inanimate objects who continue to mock my shyness?'_

Lily regains her sanity, who took a vacation with her wits. She looks up at Don who sits across the table from her, so quiet and calm she wonders if she should check his pulse. To her relief, he smiles and says, "Here comes dinner." _'Finally,' _she says to herself as the waiter places her meal in front of her. She then busies herself with aiming her fork for her mouth, glancing up at Don every few seconds.

"You were great," Raph tells Vanessa, and smiling she replies, "You were pretty good too. I didn't know you could sing." She remembers how she could hardly keep her cool up on stage, his powerful voice loud and bold, it was just so…sexy. There is no other way to describe it. _Sexy_.

Rachel shares the same sentiment, though about Leo, not Raph. Actually, she feels this way about Leo in general, not only that moment when he was singing, but all the time. The way he walks, the way he talks, the way his eyes are so hypnotizing and impossible to read. They exchange the compliments of, "Your voice was great," and, "You were really good," both unable to say much else. Their thoughts are all jumbled like when toddlers decide to help organize. One must not combine children and important documents; one may have to send their electricity receipts as beautiful paper snowflakes. Rachel looks up at Leo and smiles, imagining him in a leather jacket. Mm. That would be nice. Just then, Leo says something, and Rachel shakes her head, apologizing, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"I asked why you were looking at me like that," Leo replies, smiling nervously. _'Crap,'_ Rachel curses to herself, trying to think of a lie. At that moment, God bless him, the waiter comes into view! Relieved, Rachel says, "Oh look, there's the waiter! Are you ready to order?"

"Yeah," Leo answers, not sidetracked by her distraction. He folds his menu thoughtfully and turns to the waiter, leaving his question to brew for a bit.

Out of all of them, Sam receives the most praise, Mikey commending her, "That was amazing! I can't believe how good you were, why didn't you tell me?" Mikey is offended he wasn't disclosed with this information before now. Holding up a hand to shush him, Sam says, "Sorry Mike, but it just never came up. And I wasn't _that_ good…"

"What are you talking about? You were fantastic; I've never heard someone sing as well as you!" Mikey maintains, though she claims he's exaggerating. Refusing to accept what she's said, Mikey finally comes up with a compromise. Crossing his arms over his chest, he threatens, "If you won't believe you're as good as I say, you'll have to go back up there and prove to me that I'm wrong. No cheating, you have to try."

Unusually shy, Sam stammers, "B-but-" interrupted when Mikey grabs her by the hand and tugs her to the small stage. He turns to face her and asks, "What song do you want to do?"

_ 'I don't want to do it!'_ is what she wishes to shout, but instead finds herself murmuring, "'Heartbreaker' by Pat Benatar."

He gives her the thumbs up, then trots over to the DJ, whispering the song into his ear. The DJ nods and Sam walks up onto the stage nervously, clearing her throat and throwing nervous glances to the crowd. Peering out at the large group she notes, _'There didn't seem to be so many people out there when I was up here with Mikey.'_

The familiar guitar riff starts up, the drums beating out the rhythm and the base throbbing in her ears. She begins singing in a soft, feeble voice

_Your love is like a tidal wave, spinning over my head  
Drownin' me in your promises, better left unsaid_

The audience isn't amused by the performer who has no finesse, and a large amount of chatter starts up. Mikey glances up at her anxious face, and knowing it was his idea, he _can't_ let her crash and burn. Thinking quickly, he bolts to stand in front of her on the stage and whispers loudly, "Ignore everyone else; I'm the only one here! Just look at me!"

Sam locks eyes with his and practically melts, her voice gaining volume and power as his intense blue eyes bore into hers, confidence restoring itself,

_  
You're the right kind of sinner, to release my inner fantasy  
The invincible winner, and you know that you were born to be  
You're a heartbreaker  
Dream maker, love taker  
Don't you mess around with me!  
You're a heartbreaker  
Dream maker, love taker  
Don't you mess around - no no no!_

Your love has set my soul on fire, burnin' out of control  
You taught me the ways of desire, now it's takin' it's toll  
You're the right kind of sinner, to release my inner fantasy  
The invincible winner, and you know that you were born to be

You're a heartbreaker  
Dream maker, love taker  
Don't you mess around with me!  
You're a heartbreaker  
Dream maker, love taker  
Don't you mess around - no no no!

A little motion of the hips, a dazzling smile and she has the ticket, capturing and holding the attention of all in the venue.__

You're the right kind of sinner, to release my inner fantasy  
The invincible winner, and you know that you were born to be

You're a heartbreaker  
Dream maker, love taker  
Don't you mess around with me!  
You're a heartbreaker  
Dream maker, love taker  
Don't you mess around with me!

You're a heartbreaker  
Dream maker, love taker  
Don't you mess around with me!  
You're a heartbreaker  
Dream maker, love taker  
Heartbreaker!

Mikey jumps on the stage himself and does a ridiculous but entertaining air guitar solo. Stitches form in Sam's sides as she laughs, dancing along with him. They finish with Mikey spinning Sam quickly then dipping her low. She rights herself a second after the final beat, the audience applauding as she smiles genuinely. Sam and takes a shallow bow, punching Mikey playfully as he blows kisses to his "fans". She drags him off the stage and makes him sit down before he gets any more bright ideas, Mikey asking, "So, now that you see how much the crowd loved you, will you believe me?" Sam reluctantly answers yes, wanting anything but to have to go back up there again.

Poor Vanessa sits uncomfortably at her table, a pretentious waiter flirting with her. She pleads to God, Buddha, _anyone who will listen_ to bring Raphael back from his trip to the washroom. Finally after many hints for the waiter to leave, she sees Raph making a beeline for the table, a flash of anger in his in his eyes. Scoffing at the full five foot five inches of the dark haired, dark eyed waiter, he asks, "Do we have a problem here?"

"No, I was just having a chat with this lovely lady," the waiter answers defiantly, straightening up a little so the top of his head meets Raph's eyelevel. Sarcasm saturating his words, Raph says, "Thank you for being so considerate, it's nice of you to be friendly to Vanessa." He sits down pointedly and glares at the waiter, who stalks off moodily.

When he is out of earshot, the waiter whips out a phone and punches a number into it, whispering into the receiver, "I can't get to her; she's here with some guy who's not very friendly."

"Then try another method besides charming her," the man on the other end hisses into the receiver, pressing his fingers into his temple.

"B-but Master-"

"I do not care if there are people there, use some sense and slip her the sedative! I will not have any of your excuses, and if you fail me I shall have your head mounted upon my wall!"

"Master, why is she so important-?"

"I have my reasons, and I have use for the girl which I shall reveal in time. Now, do as I say, and do not question me again!"

"Yes Master," he replies meekly, and flinches as the receiver slams down on the other line, snapping his own phone shut. His eyes travel to the girl and her acquaintance, and as stealthily as his training has taught him, the man slinks through the tables. He crouches behind a pillar close enough so he can listen in on the conversation between Vanessa and Raph.

At the table, Vanessa nearly collapses in relief as the waiter leaves, breathing, "Thank you!"

"No prob," Raph replies, still steaming. Face drawn in disapproval, she adds, "He's stupid, isn't he? I could report him to his supervisor right now if I wanted to."

"We _will_ report him to his supervisor; that was harassment! An' I won't let him get away with it!" Raph growls and takes Vanessa's hand, marching to the front desk. Quickly, the waiter ducks out from behind the pillar and grabs a nearby drink cart. He rolls the cart by the table and drops some capsules into Vanessa's drink that dissolve instantly. Glancing around, he continues on his path.

"The Master will be pleased with me," he murmurs to himself and grins. The grin disappears from his face when he sees the restaurant manager speed walking toward him with a frown on his features. Coming close the manager spits, "Now listen here! That was against policy, and you have broken your code as a waiter! Because of that, you have no choice but to pass in your vest and leave _this instant_!"

"Please, give me a second chance!" the waiter begs shrilly, attracting the attention of many customers. Brow furrowing deeper, the manager stresses, "_No exceptions._"

Scowling, the spy tears off his vest and throws it at the manager's feet, storming out of the restaurant. Once outside, he worries, "The Master will certainly kill me for this utter failure," and continues to the Foot headquarters.

Leo yawns behind his hand subtly, ready to go home after his long night. Rachel feels the same sentiment, her intensity in their discussion on a recent article about violence in New York petering out. The whole conversation is forgotten as a slow romantic song drifts from the speakers dreamily and a new mood settles itself over the venue. All other sounds seems to fade out, only the soft music able to be discernable. The ambiance travels to where Mikey is sitting with Sam, spreads over to Raph next to Vanessa and moves to the silence between Lily and Don.

Leonardo feels something strange inside as he sits with Rachel's warm elbow touching his arm. Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, he shifts a bit closer to her in the booth and drapes his arm across the back of the seat. Rachel notices but pretends not to, taking a drink of water to busy herself. She knows he's thinking about kissing her, but she's not sure if she wants to. Last week when she met him, he was just a stranger to spend the evening with; now, he actually knows about her. This scares her a bit. Her hazel eyes dart between the lights reflecting off the glasses and cutlery and his deep brown eyes, turning away when he catches her looking at him. She studies the weave of the tablecloth for a long time until she turns her head suddenly and begins, "Leo, wha-"

Rachel is cut off by Leo's lips taking hold of hers softly. She breathes in sharply, making a sound of surprise, though makes no move to pull away. It feels both wonderful and shameful; to avoid confusion, Leo pushes all of thoughts from his mind, concentrating solely on the warmth of her body and the feeling of her lips against his.

Lily's eyes light up and she declares importantly, "I know what I want you to do for me," referring to his earlier offer. He turns to her a little more, waiting expectantly for her response.

"I want you to bring me the moon," she says decidedly, looking pleased with herself. He chuckles and apologizes, "I can't bring you the moon yet, but someday I'll get it down for you. Why do you want it?"

Shrugging her shoulders, she smiles sheepishly and suggests, "It would make a good nightlight?" He laughs and she grins. Her voice becoming a soft murmur, she says, "Since you can't get it for me, I guess I'll have to ask for something…else."

Lily pushes herself closer to Don and waits for him to make a move, assessing his reaction. The lack of space between them causes Don's nerves to sky rocket. His first instinct is to back away, but something forces his body forward. Unfortunately, that something has no idea that this is a girl he wishes to impress and pushes him more powerfully than anticipated.

Their noses collide. _Hard_. Lily's head snaps back to the contact and she rubs her nose gingerly with her fingers, holding back a yelp. _'Shoot,' _Don curses, feeling like and idiot. She slides away to her original place, looking at her hands. To apologize, Don leans in and kisses her softly where he bumped her. Lily smiles at the sweet gesture and murmurs appreciatively, "You don't owe me the moon anymore." It's then that she notices a couple in their mid-fifties at the next table, smiling at her and Don and reminiscing about when they were young. Lily gives Don a look and he also sees the pair at the table. They come to an agreement with their eyes and both stand from the table, going to the front desk to pay.

Vanessa yawns widely and places her head on Raph's shoulder sleepily. Raph looks down at her and cups her chin in his hands, bringing her lips to his own. Raphael feels the butterflies in his stomach climb up his throat and disintegrate in the warmth of their embrace as Vanessa places her hand on his shoulder, pulling him closer. Raph pushes his lips a little harder against hers for a moment and releases her, dazed. Vanessa looks very happy as she settles back in her chair and takes another sip of her drink. Raph puts his arm around her shoulders and smiles, glad that he's not sitting with his brothers.

Frighteningly enough, Mikey and Sam have a serious moment just sitting silently. Sam looks down at one of Mikey's hands on her lap, the opposite arm lazily hanging over the back of her chair as she strokes his hand. Mikey clasps her fragile hand in his and with great care presses it to lips for a second. Encouraged by this, Sam leans in and kisses Mikey, her hand still in his. Just then, a waiter comes to the table. Oblivious to the romantic moment, he asks, "Will that be cash or check?"

They break apart reluctantly and Mikey mutters, "Cash," in distaste.

Mikey searches for money in his pocket and scribbles something on a sheet of paper, slapping both into the waiter's open palm. He pulls Sam from her seat and leads her to where Don and Lily who are chatting in the foyer. The message on the slip of paper reads, 'Here's a tip: Get a new paper towel dispenser in the men's room. PS-There is a five dollar bill attached to the back of this paper.'

Pleased by his luck, the waiter turns the note, disappointed to find on the back, 'Just kidding! The tip's on the table, and you're not getting five bucks, pal.'

Leo glances at his watch and realizes it's 10:23. Tossing a tip onto the table, he suggests, "It's getting late, we should go." Rachel nods in agreement, standing and allowing him to lead her to the front desk with his hand on the small of her back.

Vanessa's cheek rests on Raph's shoulder, her breathing slow and steady. Raph rubs circles into her upper back, feeling her sharp shoulder blades through her shirt. He smirks and remarks, "Jeeze, what are those, _spears_ in your back?" Smiling at him she replies in a raspy voice, "Those are for self defense. Hey, Raph? I want to go home please, I'm so…tired."

Raphael helps her stand up as her body is trembling violently. Worry grips his chest, and he searches frantically with his eyes for his brothers, noticing them quickly in the entryway. Raph pulls Vanessa's body closer, acting as a support, and locks eyes with Leo. Seeing the urgency in Raph's eyes, Leo moves the cashier along a little faster, taking Rachel's hand and pulling her in Raph's direction. Using his eyes he communicates the problem to his brothers. Raph looks at Vanessa's fatigued face and wonders, _'What's happenin' to her?'_

_And so the plot thickens…_

_Wow, that was such a long chapter (8,898 words to be exact). Sorry to submit you to such torture, I promise never to do it again._

_Okay, I will most likely do it again, but I'll do it unintentionally._

_So, lot's of things going on there! We get to know the girls better, there is some karaoke in there, some Foot plots are revealed, and the guys get their first kiss! _

_Ahahahaha, I had many, many laughs writing this chapter, they all seemed so…I don't know, boyish, it was cute!_

_Whatcha think? Please review!_

_P.S-I do not own "You're the One I Want" from the movie 'Grease' or "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar._


	8. Somebody To Lean On

_Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT. All rights to all characters in this story belong to Mirage Studios, except my girls (Vanessa, Rachel, Lily and Sam)_

_Okey dokes, just before we start this chapter, I would like to remind you that we Fan Fiction authors like support to keep us going, so every story you read, please give a review, it makes us all so happy! I truly and honestly have nothing else to say (there's a first time for everything) so I suppose you'll be off._

_Okay, enjoy!_

After Lily, Sam and Rachel are dropped off at their respective homes, Leo drives to Vanessa's house, having taken over Raph's position for the safety of all in the vehicle. Raph sits in the back beside Vanessa, dozing lightly on his shoulder as worst case scenarios race through his mind like tadpoles, impossible to ignore. Once Leo pulls up to Vanessa's dark house, Raph says quietly, "I'll take 'er inside. No one's home and I don't think she can get up the steps by herself."

Leonardo nods, eyeing Raph as he nudges Vanessa awake. Raph helps her out of the van and puts his arm around her waist, draping her arm over his shoulders. He walks her to the porch and Vanessa fumbles with her key as she shivers, finally shoving it into the lock and turning it. She pushes the door open and clutches her forehead, feeling a head ache coming on. She staggers to the couch to take a seat and loses her balance, almost plummeting to the floor. Luckily, Raph catches her about the waist with his quick reflexes, but is pulled down on the couch himself. Her vision blurry, Vanessa looks up at Raph and smiles at their new position, stroking the side of his face. Raph relaxes slightly to the sensation of her soft fingers upon his skin and Vanessa presses her lips to his. He is alright until she pushes her lower body into his a little too earnestly; then, he tenses and pulls back quickly. Dazed, Vanessa asks silkily, "What's wrong?"

"I can't do this. Ya don't feel well, this might be considered takin' advantage of ya," he answers, trying to ignore her fingers walking up his bicep slowly. Vanessa rolls her eyes at him and murmurs, "C'mon, baby. Who cares? I don't mind." She leans in again and again Raph stops her.

_ 'This ain't like Vanessa.'_

"Do ya remember drinkin' anything alcoholic?" he demands sharply, his distaste for alcohol apparent in his spiteful tone. She shakes her head 'no' honestly, and he replays the night through his head to remember any vital information.

_ 'Got to the restaurant, ordered, talked about NASCAR, sang, talked about those jerks who think they can run our country, compared scars, fought about if 'The Rolling Stones' or 'The Beatle's were better, told off waiter, talked about how dumb sequels are, kissed—hold it. The waiter…he was prowlin' around our table, and I thought I saw somethin' drop from his hand…'_

"The bastard," Raph breathes venomously, another wave of anger flooding over him. Looking at Vanessa and taking his body from atop her, he explains, "I'm gonna carry ya back ta the car, and I'm gonna make ya feel better, 'kay?" He doesn't wait for an answer and lifts her from the couch, cradling her to his chest.

He locks the door with one hand and make sure he has Vanessa's key. Raph gives the door knob another turn to be certain it's locked then carries her to the Battle Shell. Mikey opens the door after he raps on the window, and Leo asks with annoyance in his tone, "Raph, what do you think you're doing?"

"I _think_ that I'm bringing Vanessa ta the lair so Master Splinter can check her out," he responds, releasing a grunt as he leaps into the vehicle with Vanessa in his arms. Taking on an expression of utmost seriousness, Mikey informs, "It won't make him jealous to see how pretty she is, Raph."

Raph lets out a growl and shouts, "I don't want ta show 'er off, I want ta help 'er! That damn, womanizin' waiter drugged 'er somehow, and she's shiverin' like crazy!"

Sure enough, Vanessa's body shakes and her teeth chatter, her arms crossed over her chest. Leo's eyes narrow and he revs the engine. He speeds down the street and takes the corner a little too sharply, racing to their garage nine blocks away.

As they enter the lair, Master Splinter chances to peek from one eye while he meditates and sighs, asking, "Must you boys bring every wounded girl you find to our lair?" He struggles to stand and winces as his old knees creak. "It's Vanessa," Raph replies fleetingly as Don rushes ahead of him toward the medical room. Concerned, Master Splinter asks, "What is the matter, Raphael?"

However, his question goes unanswered as Don and Raph are already in the 'Doctors Office', laying Vanessa onto the cold metal table. Unable to do anything challenging with more than three fingers, Don takes off his molecular changer, Raph and his brothers following suit. Vanessa continues to shake as Don feels her glands, takes her pulse and temperature, checks her pupils to see if they're dilating, and finally takes out a needle.

"Yer gonna jab that in her arm?" Raph asks, becoming a little protective Vanessa when she seems so frail. In an effort to be a doctor rather than a brother, Don replies professionally while cleaning an area of her skin with a cotton ball dipped in disinfectant, "I have to take a blood sample to see what we're dealing with."

Holding her arm gingerly in one hand, he uses the other to push the needle into her vein, pulling back the plunger part slowly. Not wanting to panic her, Don explains what he's doing and why, like talking to a scared child at their annual check up. When the syringe is full of the crimson liquid, he examines it, comparing it to diagrams of the molecules within the blood stream. A few minutes of calculations and tests later, he discovers what was used.

"It was a laboratory made sedative narcotic, though I can't find any agencies or companies that produced it. It' like this guy made it himself, or had some connection with some scientists of such matters," Don says. Seeing the worried expression on Raph's face, Don assures, "Don't worry, it was only a small dose. She should be fine. In the meantime, we should give her some tea, wrap her in a blanket, and wait until she stops shivering."

Leo nods and hurries to the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Mikey takes the stairs two at a time and ducks into his room, emerging seconds later with a fleece blanket, and Raph sets Vanessa gently on the battered blue couch. Her teeth click together even after the blanket is draped over her. The old rat kneels in front of her and informs kindly, "You will have warm tea in a moment, child. Now, tell me about yourself."

Don opens his mouth to object, but his Sensei raises a paw, saying wisely, "It will help her gain her bearings." He smiles at her as she stumbles along memory lane, until a cup of steaming tea is pressed into her hands by Leo. Stopping in the middle of her story about the go-kart incident, she smiles graciously and murmurs, "Thank you," taking a long sip of the sweet liquid, becoming more conscious of herself and her surroundings by the moment. Master Splinter begins to tell her an old Japanese tale about a man searching for his heart's desire. In the middle of the interesting tale, slow steady breathing can be heard from the couch. Vanessa's eyelids are closed firmly and she nuzzles her cheek into the tread-bare arm of the couch, causing the blanket to fall from her shoulder. Their father nods at them, and Leo and Raph oblige. They turn on their molecular changers and Raph lifts Vanessa, the two brothers leaving the lair.

For the third time this evening, Leo and Raph pull up to Vanessa's house. Raph carries Vanessa up the steps and manages to unlock and open the door using only two fingers. He finds what he assumes to be her room and lowers her onto the bed, pulling a blanket over her body. His ninja stealth always useful, he sneaks from the room and finds her parent's cell phone number on a piece of paper by the phone in the kitchen. Dialing nervously, he listens to the endless ringing until Vanessa's mother picks up. Interrupting her pleasantries, Raph says, "It's Raphael. Listen, I'm just gonna come out with it: a waiter at the restaurant somehow drugged Vanessa, but my brothers and I took to a …'doctor' ta get her looked at, an' she's fine now. Are ya okay, Mrs. McMillan?"

"Go faster, George!" he hears the woman hiss loudly, then the small but mighty woman returns to the phone and thanks him, promising they'll be there in a few minutes. He can't help but smile when he hears her shout, "I said faster, George!...I don't _care_ if we're past the speed limit, I said _faster_!"

Swallowing his smile, Raph offers generously, "I'll wait here 'til ya get back."

"Thank you, Raphael, dear," Vanessa's mother replies, snapping her phone shut. Raph hangs up the phone with a click and the quiet of the house hits him. Nothing else striking his fancy, he wanders to Vanessa's room and seats himself on the edge of her bed. Vanessa's eyelids flutter open, a relived smile crossing her face when she realizes it's only Raph. She sits up slightly and runs a hand over her face, whispering in a cracked voice, "It was really weird. Where you took me I saw…giant turtles and a huge rat…I think I'm hallucinating."

"Don't worry," he breathes, "It's all over."

Ten minutes later, they hear the door open and Vanessa's parents rush into her bedroom. Raph moves aside just in time to miss being bowled over by Vanessa's mother who takes his seat at her side. Vanessa squints in confusion and asks, "Why are you so worried? Raph was with me the entire time; didn't you know I'd be safe?"

Her mother turns her gaze towards Raph who casts his eyes down, worried he will be blamed for what happened. After a moment she shifts her sight back to her daughter and strokes her hair gently. Kissing Vanessa's forehead, she leaves her daughter to rest, and Vanessa's father steers Raph into the hallway.

"We want to thank you again for looking after Vanessa. But I was wondering, exactly what happened?" her mother presses, and Raph tells the whole story, including how the waiter got fired, but omitting that he kissed her. Duty fulfilled, he bids goodbye to her parents and walks into the lamp lit street, relived to see his brother waiting for him. He hops into the armored car as Leo starts it, driving in silence until Leo asks, "Is she alright?"

Raph snaps out of his pondering and replies awkwardly, "Yeah, she's feeling better, though she'll have a killer headache in the mornin'."

They're quiet for a few more moments, when Leo asks, "How was it?"

"How was what?" Raph wonders, confused. Leo grins and looks both ways, taking a turn and teasing, "Don't play innocent with me, Raph. I know you kissed her, I had that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that has become so accurate over the years."

Raph looks down at his hands, blushing and he begins, "It was—" He stops abruptly and demands with a raised eye ridge, "If ya knew that I kissed 'er, why didn't ya pull me aside and lecture me like always?" Leo inconspicuously avoids his brother's eyes by fiddling with the radio, and realization dawns on Raph. A smirk spreading over his face, Raph guesses, "Ya kissed Rachel, didn't ya?"

Leo neither denies nor confirms this, slamming in the brakes and cursing under his breath as some idiot pulls out in front of him. Raph takes his silence as a yes, then muses aloud, "Wonder if brainiac did anythin'?" He receives a shrug from Leo, and Raph laughs, muttering "Doubt it." They both think about this for a second and then both have a horrible thought. Looking at each other, they shout in unison, "Mikey?!"

_Haha, they finally catch on. Of course Mikey kissed Sam, of course he did... _

_This chapter wasn't very interesting, but it was important, and important is all that matters!_

_I actually like making Raph seem softer, it was cute, and the short brother bonding time at the end was classic. More to come, I hope you liked it! All you have to do is click the little button below that says 'Review' and you will have a very happy author! _XD

_Have a nice day, and R&R!_


	9. The Walls Have Ears

_Disclaimer: I sadly do not own the TMNT. If I did, Donatello would be constantly in my arms, Mikey would be set loose on the free world, Leo would stop trying to be a gosh darn perfectionist, and Raph would be forced to laugh and have fun! _

_What? It would be funny…_

_Enjoy my chapter!!! _

When Leo and Raphael enter the lair, their eyes are drawn immediately to Mikey who kneels outside their Sensei's room. He waves frantically at them to be quiet, Klunk batting playfully at his feet. Oh no, what has he done this time? Curious, they join Mikey, both surprised that the sounds of Don tinkering in his lab cannot be heard. As they near Mikey they hear a muffled conversation from the other side of the screen that is ajar to let a thin slat of light escape the room. All three brothers squat outside the door, Raph pressing his ear against the screen and Leo pretending not to be interested, though he perks up when he hears Donatello's voice.

"…Should I feel guilty or something? I mean, I'm making her trust me, when really I'm lying to her. I have to though, I'm not human like her, I'm not normal. I'm a ninja, my past filled with violence and darkness, things I don't think I can share with her. Honestly, I don't want to do this to her, it's just so unfair to Lily, and I have a deep feeling of deception…" Don trails off, lifting his eyes from the stone floor to his Sensei, whom kneels in front of him as Don pours out his thoughts and feelings. Splinter's gaze is steady, his face motionless except for the twitch of his whiskers as he asks, "Is this the only deep feeling you have for this girl?"

The flushed face of his son tells all as he lets his eyes fall to the floor, unable to focus on his Master any longer. Splinter continues, "If you feel this way about lying to her, then you do what you think you must do and tell her. However, I suggest you exercise caution and consider the safety of both yourself and our family before you act. Do what is right, my son."

A smile slowly works its way onto his muzzle as he searches his son's thoughts with interest. Splinter places his paw on Don's shoulder and assures, "My son, I am sure she will not hold anything against you about her nose."

Don's brow furrows in confusion, then shoots upward as he demands, "Did you read my mind, Sensei?! Can you hear people's thoughts?" The old rodent closes his eyes and gives a slow nod, ordering without opening his eyes, "Enter, my sons."

Mikey looks toward his accomplices with his mouth agape, his expression matching both Raph and Leo's surprised faces. Leo snaps his mouth closed and stands erectly, walking in with Raph and Mikey trailing guiltily behind him. The three kneel beside Donatello whose eyes narrow dangerously. Ignoring the apologetic looks on his brothers' faces Don stands up, turns on his heel and sweeps icily from the room, closing the screen behind him loudly.

"Do you not understand privacy? This is a terrible thing to do to your brother, he keeps his emotions to himself too often, and now you give him more reason to bottle them up? I am disappointed in you three, especially you, Leonardo; I trust you to use good judgment and set an example for your brothers."

"We're sorry Sensei, I assure you it won't happen again under my watch," Leo promises, cringing under his Master's gaze with his head bowed.

"Do not apologize to me, I am not the one who has taken offence," the rat comments, nodding to the door Don slammed moments earlier. Resting his hands on his knees, he continues, "Trust is one of the most important things in life, and if Donatello cannot trust you, he will not be able to train and fight with you properly. His connection with you will weaken if you do not give him the respect and privacy he deserves."

The trio stands up and exits Master Splinter's room. They walk toward the lab now alive with the sound of Donatello clacking rapidly on the keyboard and hang for a minute in the doorway. Unable to stand the tension, Raph says, "Look Donnie, ya know we didn't mean nothin' by it, we were just wonderin' what ya were talkin' 'bout. C'mon, don't give us the cold shoulder."

Don keeps his eyes on the screen, typing at a lightning pace. He ignores them even when Mikey steps forward and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. Able to tell Raph is losing his patience with Donatello, Leo orders firmly, "Just listen to us, Don. We didn't mean to hurt you. We understand that trust is an important foundation in family-"

"What, did you hear that from Sensei? Is that the only reason you're apologizing, because you were scolded?" Don snaps. Leo is smacked by his brother's angry words, wincing visibly from the harshness of his tone. Mikey retracts his hand from Don's arm as if he has been scalded by his words. Glaring at his brother's shell, Raph abandons all thoughts of reconcile, growling with a ferocious inflection to his voice, "Ya know what yer problem is?"

"I'm sure you'll tell me," Don replies dryly, scribbling some notes down on a pad of paper, angering the hot head further. In an attempt to get his words through to the genius, Raph shouts, "Ya keep yerself locked up in yer lab, ya don't tell us anythin', ya just hold yer emotions inside yerself!" There's a long pause, and Don finally murmurs bitterly, "I guess that's one thing you and I have in common, Raph."

Eyes narrowed to slits, Raph bares his teeth and snarls, "Ya don't know nothin' 'bout me, Don!"

Slamming his fist on the desk to which they all jump, Don forces out, "I know more about you than you could ever know about me, Raph! Now, can you please leave?" He clenches his eyes shut and slumps forward in his chair. Still upholding his leader façade, Leo orders, "Not until you talk to us about how you feel, we need to know. We _want_ to know."

Aware he has no chance to avoid it, Don turns to them fully and studies each face before explaining, "I have different interests and I can't talk to you guys about my inventions. Since I don't have much to talk about with you guys, I just surround myself with my projects. Building, reading, making diagrams…they all have straightforward answers, yes or no, right and wrong."

He shakes his head, the look on his face one of a timid child, and continues, "But you guys, you _don't_ have simple answers. I don't know what to say to Raph half the time, because his emotions change at the drop of a hat, and forget about Leo. He is just so intimidating; I don't feel very comfortable around him. Mikey, you wouldn't understand or even care about what I had to say. When paths for regular conversation are closed off, I don't feel tempted to talk about my feelings. I just…don't know how to relate to you three."

His brothers look at him empathetically, the confused teen adding, "And now, there's this girl, who likes science and engineering and knows exactly how I feel…except the whole giant, mutated ninja turtle thing. Someone who's honest to me, and I can't even tell her who, or what, I am. It doesn't seem fair."

"Wow Donnie, that's deep," Mikey comments soberly. A grin quickly spreads across his face and he teases, "Bro, you got it _bad_ for her!"

Donatello throws his hands in the air in surrender, deducing his attempt at getting through to his brothers was in vain. Choosing his words carefully, Leo encourages, "You know what, Don? I think that was a good thing to do," and shoots Mikey a glare. To get back on the eldest brother's good side, Mikey nods in agreement. Satisfied, Leo continues, "Now that we know how you feel, we can try to change for the better."

"Don't change too much, I would miss you guys," Don confesses, smiling thankfully. Raph smirks and reminds him, "It's us! How much can we change? I mean, Mikey's gonna be a kid forever." Raph laughs as he receives an elbow in the side from an unimpressed Mikey. An uncommon mischievous smile appears on Leo's face, and he presses, "So, how was your night, Don?"

Being under their scrutinizing gaze is like having his mind read, and Don has already decided that he dislikes this as Master Splinter discovered he kissed Lily. A malicious smile on his face, Mikey crows, "The green and nerdy got white and dirty! Did you kiss her? Was it good? Tell us!"

Don shakes his head wildly 'no', so Raph says menacingly, "I guess we'll have to get our information another way." Before Don can act, Leo and Raph have him held in place. Mikey rubs his hands together in anticipation and begins to tickle Don. Not wanting to break, Don squirms, eyes watering from the effort of holding his laughter inside. Finally he gasps, "Alright, I'll tell you!"

They release him and wait in relative patience for him to catch his breath. Casting a glance at the door, Don murmurs so their Master won't hear, "Yes, I kissed her and it was…great. I don't know how great it was for her though, seeing as our noses collided-"

He is interrupted by Mikey bursting into a violent fit of laughter. Raph and Leo join in but opt to chuckle behind their hands instead of rocking back and forth like Mikey on his chair. Don allows them to laugh, thinking how funny it would have looked from a different perspective, but tells them to calm down when Mike is in danger of falling off his chair. At the time, he was mortified; now, it doesn't seem too bad. Taking his brothers by surprise, he turns the same question on them.

Mikey is the first to speak, admitting, "Yeah, I kissed her, but the stupid waiter had to come in the middle of it to give us the dumb check."

"Prob'ly the luckiest break she ever got, considering it was you she was kissin'," Raph quips. In an attempt to embarrass Raph, Mikey counters, "Oh yeah? What did _you_ do?" Raph's eyes dart from Leo to Mikey and back, but Leo maintains his neutral expression. Shrugging, Raph replies, "Well I…uh…I kissed her at the restaurant, but she wasn't feelin' good, and then on the couch, well, she was influenced by then, so I'm not sure that counts—"

"_WHAT?!" _The brothers cry in unison.

"You kissed her on the _couch_ at her _house_?" Don asks, truly shocked at how fast his brother took things. Eyes the size of saucers and voice about an octave higher, Mikey demands disbelievingly, "You kissed her _twice_?"

"You didn't tell me that!" Leo shouts in offense, a little hurt he wasn't let in the loop. In sheer desperation, Raph points accusatively at Leo and counters, "_You_ didn't tell me anythin' either, Fearless." Leo's face turns a deep red as the spotlight is turned to him. He looks for an escape, but as Raph is in his way, there is nowhere to go. Grinning madly, Mikey wolf whistles and teases, "Ooo! Does our levelheaded leader have a crush? Scandalous!"

Pleased with himself for putting Leo in such a position, Raph persuades, "Come on, Leo, out with it." Raph is answered by a scowl from his older brother. Before Leo can blink, Raph snatches the shell cell from Leo's belt and flicks it open, finding the recent calls file and offering, "I can call Rachel and ask her 'bout it if yer too embarrassed."

"You wouldn't _dare_," Leo growls, shifting to a fighting stance. Holding his thumb dangerously over the 'call' button, Raph retorts with a smirk, "Try me."

Leo tackles Raph to the floor, the pair scrapping until Leo gains the upper hand and retrieves his shell cell, snapping it shut loudly and clutching it to his chest. He knows they won't leave him alone unless he tells them _something_, so he says, "It was…well, for lack of a better word…wonderful. Okay?"

They leave him be and Leo thinks he's in the clear. That is, until Mikey starts singing loudly, "Leo and Rachel sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-AHH!"

The pillow from Don's bed comes in contact harshly with Mikey's head, and he tumbles off his chair to the floor on impact from Leo's incredibly hard throw. Don can't help but smile, thinking, _'Maybe we're more alike that I thought.'_ And he watches as Mikey retaliates by flinging the pillow at Leo. It misses its target and hits Raph in the face.

"I'm gonna kill ya, Mikey!" Raph bellows, threatening to strangle the turtle with poor aim. Becoming alarmed, Don steps between the two at the risk of his own safety.

_ 'Okay, we __**are**__ more alike than I thought, just not as much as I'd __**hoped**__.' _Don says to himself, trying his best with Leo's help to keep Raph from shoving the point of his sai into Mikey's eye.

_O.O Emo Donnie is sexy! Haha, this was a nice Don-centric chapter in my opinion, we got to know more about the misunderstood genius. And, it was very much fun to find out about the guys', ahem, 'progress' ;)_

_Hehe, they sounded like thirty year old women, the way they were interrogating each other and comparing kisses._

_More to come, so come back soon! Now that it's summer, it will be a lot easier to update and it will go faster (note I did not say smoothly)._

_Please review, the button is __**begging**__ you to push it!_


	10. She's Some Lady

_Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, the best thing on the planet. I do not own any of those gosh darned foot ninja, the Shredder, Splinter, or any of the turtles' associates. However, I do own Vanessa along with my other OCs (Lily, Sam, and Rachel. Ooh, don't forget Grace and Carmen!) _

_Alright, now that we got that out of the way, time to give you a brief. A little bit of time has passed (about two months, maybe a little less). It is fall, and so it's drawing nearer to some big stuff in this fic. That means you all shout HOORAY!!!!!!!! So, I really hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'm sorry for the very, very, VERY late update._

_Let the chapter begin!_

_PS-last edited March 14__th__ 2010_

The poor young man straightens his suit and black face mask before knocking lightly on the large dark wood door. A calm but authoritative 'enter' reaches his ears, the man opening the large swinging doors. He walks to the large red symbol upon the floor and bows deeply toward his Master, flinching to the hard stare he receives as he rights himself. There is a long pause in which time the important man becomes impatient and demands roughly, "Well?"

"M-my Lord," the servant stutters, casting his eyes to the floor, "We have uncovered some leads while we have been tracking the girl—"

"And what of that girl?" His Master's voice is so quiet in the enormous room, the ninja knows he is in trouble. Swallowing hard and shifting in his place, he replies, "We have been unable to capture or even encounter the girl alone, she is always either with family or friends—"

"_Imbecile_! You are a ninja trained by the greatest of martial arts Masters, and you cannot apprehend _one little girl_? I am greatly dishonored and displeased. If in all this time you have not fulfilled your task, I must ask what you are worth." He releases a short sigh then demands, "Have you been tracking her?"

"Yes, Master," the ninja responds, and adds quickly, "We have found something you may be interested in."

"Proceed," the Master says. Glad that his Master has not reached for his gauntlet, the man straightens up and informs, "Over the weeks we have been tracking her, we have found that she is currently in a relationship with one of your enemies."

His eyes show interest but his voice as collected as ever, the Master asks, "And who might these enemies be?"

"The turtles, my Lord," the Foot ninja replies and bows his head, playing with his hands. The Master's lips curl into a malicious smile and he asks, "Which one?"

"Raphael."

The man in the chair smiles evilly, showing his white teeth and says, "Excellent, assemble all ninja. We strike tonight." With that, he turns in his seat, a sign of dismissal. The ninja bows and speedily exits the chamber, the heavy doors closing firmly behind him.

"Two birds, one stone," the Master muses, smiling to himself.

Raph's skin tingles Vanessa's hand, the pair walking quietly down the sidewalk near Central Park in the brisk mid-autumn breeze. The sky is an explosion of color, streaks of purple, red, orange, pink, blue and grey slashing through the enormous yellow sun in the vast blanket of sky hovering over the earth. They beat down the cracked worn sidewalk toward the 2nd Time Around store, Vanessa clutching her red coat about herself tightly with her free hand. Raph thinks about what happened earlier, still mortified about how his brothers embarrassed him.

Raph paces across the small area in front of the television, waiting impatiently for Vanessa though she isn't due for another 15 minutes. Finally the doorbell rings and Raph bolts to the door, opening it to a very relaxed Vanessa. Glancing toward the kitchen for safety, Raph snatches his leather jacket off the back of the couch and tries to slip out unnoticed. Before he can finish zipping his coat, Leo's spidey-senses tingle and he checks the front room, seeing that the pair are about to leave lecture-less. The other two brothers are there in a millisecond, ruining Raph's chances to sneak out of the apartment unnoticed, each wearing their molecular changers.

"Where are you two headed?" Leo asks in a business-like tone, barely containing a smirk.

"Leo, let us go," Raph begs, more than annoyed with the interrogation. In his defense, Leo puts up a palm and insists, "I just want to know what time you'll have him home." His question is directed at Vanessa. Lifting her head slightly, Vanessa replies with a smile playing about her lips, "By ten o'clock, Leo. I would never doubt or question your authority."

Leo suppresses a chuckle, letting them go with a false warning to Vanessa to which she salutes him, saying, "Sir yes sir."

In the short time of his recollection, Raph and Vanessa have reached their destination, turning into the small alleyway and drawing up to the door leading to the upstairs apartment. Without reason, the feeble bulb above the old metal door flicks off, and they are completely bathed in darkness. Raph hears a rustle and immediately becomes defensive, eyes darting around the small alleyway. He searches for the source of the sound in the nerve-racking quiet, ready for anything. Anything, that is, except for a hoard of figures dressed in black surrounding them. A red crest resembling a claw is emblazoned upon their chests, the familiar symbol drawing a vicious growl from Raph's throat. Raph's amber eyes narrow and he pulls his sais from their hiding place in his belt. Vanessa's eyes widen in shock more than fear, the ninja around them preparing to attack. Keeping his eyes on every opponent at once, Raph orders, "Behind me, Vanessa!"

She obeys, eyeing Raph's fingers as they twirl his sais aggressively. An Elite Foot steps forward and in a low, even tone, the man says, "We know who you are, freak. Surrender, and we won't hurt the girl."

Raph has no idea they're bluffing, and that the ninja are there to capture him and Vanessa, not kill them. Left in the dark for the moment, he snarls to the threat and charges, knocked over by the ninja and restrained painfully by his arms. The Elite Foot snaps his fingers and another ninja comes toward Raphael, gagging him tightly and avoiding by mere millimeters Raph's attempt to bite his gloved hand.

"The girl dies because of your choice, and you get to watch," the Elite Foot sneers wickedly, hoping the other turtles will reveal themselves. Foot ninja come up behind Vanessa and grasp her arms forcefully behind her back. A sole ninja comes forward with a tanto and poises it above Vanessa's rapidly rising and falling chest. Raph puts all his effort into breaking his bonds, but his captors squeeze his wrists, leaving him incapacitated though he continues to struggle. The ninja holding the tanto pulls back and readies to thrust when a powerful foot comes in contact with his stomach, making him crumple to the ground.

Vanessa throws off her captors and leaps into the air, split kicking two on-coming Foot. She lands silently and picks up a dropped katana, deflecting the blows of the swarm of ninja with ease and fighting her way to Raph who stands with his mouth agape. Knocking an adversary into the wall with a spin kick, Vanessa flips over the crowd of ninja effortlessly, surprising them all. When a ninja tries to attack her from behind, she slides her leg under his feet, flattening him on his back. Raphael decides to use the distraction to his advantage and wrestles out of the hold of the ninja, sending them flying with a roundhouse kick.

Through the apartment's open window Leo, Don and Mikey hear the crash of metal and pained grunts. They exchange a look and rush downstairs to join the clash, surprised that there are so few Foot left. The brothers are even more surprised to see Vanessa club a ninja over the head with the butt of a sword as she kicks another across the face simultaneously. The Foot ninja's jaw cracks loudly and a muffled swearword can be heard through the black fabric of his mask as he keels over. Confused, they run toward Raph to help whom they give questioning looks. Raph's response is a baffled shoulder shrug. At that moment, Vanessa loses her katana and a ninja comes at Vanessa with his weapon raised, taking advantage of her lack of a weapon. Vanessa has no intention of moving, and she glares fiercely at him with a defiant posture. Raph's heart leaps to his throat and he cries, "Vanessa!" elbowing his way to her aid. She ignores his shout, focusing upon the man wielding the katana, and when the blade is inches from her skull, she catches it in her bare hands. She knees the ninja in the abdomen, knocking the wind out of him, and grabs his sword in midair as he falls.

Apprehensively, Vanessa glances around, pleasantly surprised to see only one ninja left and the four brothers. The remaining ninja is an Elite Foot, and as his Master ordered him to do if anything went wrong, he bows slightly towards her, keeping both eyes on her face as he gushes in a humble voice, "I am impressed by your skill, as I believe my Master would be. Accept our offer to join our clan, and you will be entitled to riches beyond your wildest dreams. My Master rewards generously, and we hope you will consider."

Vanessa's face is unreadable as she surveys the man momentarily. Her eyes narrow as she flashes her stolen blade to his throat and stops it abruptly against his Adam's apple. Voice steely, she spits ferociously, "My answer is no."

Displeased with her response, the Elite moves to snap his fingers as a few of the Foot soldiers stir, but Vanessa presses the sharp metal to his skin more dangerously. There is undisguised fear in his voice as he entices, "You can have the world if you join us, and be able to rid the human race of disgusting creatures." He glances pointedly at the four standing aggressively to his left.

_ 'How did the Foot recognize us with our molecular altering devices activated?'_ Donatello wonders, aware that the Foot now conscious are waiting for orders with bated breath. Eyes fixed steadily upon his half masked face, Vanessa makes no move to take the weapon away from the Foot Elite's throat. She chances to look sideways at her teammates after a drawn out staring contest and asks although she already knows the answer, "Is he lying to me?"

They nod curtly in response, keeping their trained eyes locked on the assassin until Vanessa returns her glower to him. Abandoning the approach of persuasion, the Elite Foot threatens seriously, "If you refuse our offer, we will be forced to kill you."

Vanessa takes the fact that they're outnumbered into account for a moment, long enough for the ninja to knock the sword from her hand and spin her by the shoulders, catching the sword in midair and placing it at her throat. Chuckling menacingly, he hisses into her ear, "The tables have turned, Miss McMillan. We give you one last chance: join us or perish."

Vanessa and Raph's eyes lock, both wondering how the ninja knew her name. His deep hazel eyes give her a new burst of confidence, and she makes a risky, but effect plan. Brow furrowing, Vanessa kicks the ninja in the shin and ducks, bellowing, "I said _no_, now _get off of me_!"

She twists to face him and grabs him by the cloak, tossing his body at the brick wall. The Elite Foot disappears in a puff of slate grey smoke as he hits the alley wall. By now, the rest of the Foot have vanished, leaving the quintet alone in the alley, safe. Mikey runs his hand through his blond hair and asks, "Alright, what were those guys doing here? And what Master were they talking about? We got rid of the Shredder, like, a year ago!"

Leonardo casts a warning glance at his baby brother for saying too much and Mikey winces, expecting to get hit by one or all of his brothers. Ignoring his brother's inability to keep his mouth shut, Don corrects, "What we _really_ should be asking is where the _shell_ did Vanessa learn how to fight?!"

All eyes fixate on the person in question, Vanessa looking up at them with her hands on her hips. Panting lightly she responds, "I learned ninjitsu from my grandfather, it's really no big deal—"

"No big deal?! You just kicked fifty Foot ninja from here to Kansas!" Mikey exclaims, both surprised and impressed by Vanessa's skill. She smiles appreciatively at the compliment, but it fades quickly as she says, "We shouldn't talk about it out here, it's dangerous with all these ninja prowling New York."

The brothers nod and enter April's apartment, mounting the stairs quickly and resuming their conversation in the light of the sitting room. Wagging a finger at her, Mikey says, "OK Vanessa, you got some splainin' to do…ow!"

The comedian rubs the side of his head as Raph withdraws his hand, returning his attention to Vanessa before Mikey does another stupid thing. With a quick sweep of her eyes over Raph who sits a few feet away from her, across Leo's expectant face, his hands planted on his hips, to Don with his fingers linked together, and finally to Mikey, sitting upside down on the armchair, she explains. "From the time I was five, my grandfather and my uncle have taught me ninjitsu. They wanted me to follow in the footsteps of my parents and become a protector. I've trained for sixteen years, and in that span of time, I've unlocked many things about my past, Japan and ninjitsu in general.

"The martial arts have been important to me my entire life, but since my uncle left unexpectedly about two years ago and my grandfather died shortly after, I've been stuck in a rut. I've been practicing, but because I don't have a teacher I can't go further."

"What level are you at?" Raph asks out of curiosity, breaking the short silence. Squeezing her wrist absentmindedly and popping her hip, Vanessa replies, "Chunin, but like I said, it hasn't gone past that due to lack of training."

_ 'We're in Chunin too,'_ Raph says to himself, surveying her to see if all of a sudden a huge gold badge will appear upon her chest reading 'Secret martial arts trainee'. Seeing no change in Vanessa except for her position, her hand now on her hip, he keeps quiet, wondering why she hadn't told him before. _'The same reason you didn't tell her you are a giant reptilian ninja, idiot,'_ a voice in the back of his mind says, and he lets it slide, able to relate.

Strictly business, Leo regards her skeptically, demanding seriously, "Have the Foot engaged in conversation with you anytime before tonight?" Knowing that flaring up to the accusatory implication would only make things worse, Vanessa shakes her head, her expression as contemplating and grave as Leo's. Raph finds the moment quite awkward, and wanting some alone time with Vanessa, he suggests, "Wanna go for a ride ta the wharf, Vanessa?"

The four in the room with him give him questioning looks, Mikey teasing, "Random much?" Vanessa reaches out and shoves Mikey gently off the chair by his leg, replying, "I'd love to."

Leo shoots Raph a look that screams, 'Are you crazy?!'

In response Raph raises an eyebrow toward his brother in a smug expression as if countering, 'Do you have to ask?'

Suppressing a smile at the look of disapproval on his brother's face, Raph grabs two helmets from the closet and a set of keys, leading Vanessa out the door without a backward glance. Leo shakes his head in desperation, releasing a short growl-like sigh. He turns a harsh look toward Don when he jokes sympathetically, "Parenting unruly teenagers isn't easy, is it?"

The deadly look Leo gives Don frightens him, and he defends, "It was a rhetorical question!"

Vanessa turns the smooth black helmet over in her hands and admires Raph comfortably sitting on his motorcycle. The beast of a vehicle has her transfixed, and his eyes twinkling, Raph pushes back on the seat, indicating for her to sit in front. She smiles at his chivalry and puts on her helmet, straddling the cycle with her hands clenched on the handle bars. Raph places his hands atop hers and slides forward, his thighs pressed firmly against her hips. With the revving of the engine, the motorcycle roars toward the docks far off in the distance.

Leo watches from the window, aggravated at Raph's lack of caution with both the safety of himself and Vanessa, not to mention his family, in jeopardy. Don places a reassuring hand on Leo's shoulder, which the surly turtle shrugs off. Mikey tries to look on the bright side saying, "At least can take off these molecular changer whatever thingies now." To prove that this is great Mikey removes it from his wrist and heaves an exaggerated sigh of relief. Leo's gaze doesn't leave the corner they turn until long after the motorcycle has disappeared into the night.

The adrenaline rushes through Vanessa as lights, store fronts, and familiar places fly, her heart ready to leap from her chest any second. Feeling Raph's body so near her own gives her a sense of security, and she works up the courage to shout excitedly into the empty streets. Raph's chest shakes against her back with laughter at her sudden outburst, and he mutters fondly, "Lunatic." Vanessa hears him and turns to look at his helmeted face, a grin on hers.

He turns off the motor of his cycle when they arrive at the wharf and sighs, taking off his helmet to let the breeze cool off his hot forehead. Vanessa removes hers as well and shakes out her long, ebony hair before she hops up on the railing of the lookout point. Raph leans on the railing next to her and the two gaze into the now starry sky, its mirrored image upon the glassy surface of the water. Deciding to break the silence, Raph raises an eyebrow and asks, "What were ya playin' at back there with the whole damsel in distress thing?"

Vanessa smiles and shrugs as she replies, "I had to seem helpless, therefore gaining the element of surprise." A bit mad that she gave him such a scare, Raph says, "Ya scared the _shell _outta me! With that sword at your heart, I thought you were actually gonna get hurt, I was so—"

"Worried?" she finishes with a smug look on her face. He doesn't reply, but his eyes give him away. Vanessa laughs and whispers into his ear, "Well, I think it's sweet that you were worried about me," pecking him softly on the cheek. He turns to face her as she continues, "I love that you're so nice, and funny and honest—"

"I don't deserve that," he blurts, earning himself a confused look from Vanessa. Raph releases a big sigh and confesses, "The truth is, I've been keeping secrets from ya fer the past two months. I think it's time that you know what I am."

His reluctance just barely outweighed by his need to tell the truth, Raph takes off his molecular changer, casting his eyes down as the illusion fades away with Vanessa's smile. Shaking his sleek green head, he apologizes, "I'm sorry I didn't tell ya earlier, I just…I knew that ya would be freaked out." He takes her blank expression as a demand for an explanation and tells his story.

"Ya see, me and my family started out as regular turtles, a regular rat in my father's case. We fell inta the sewer, and were accidentally covered in a glowing green mutagen from the TCRI company—"

His tale comes to a halt as the look of pure shock on Vanessa's face slowly changes to an awed expression. Eyes wide with sudden understanding, Vanessa murmurs, "So Uncle Mortu _wasn't_ telling me stories."

"Uncle Mortu? But that means…" Realization dawns on Raph as he fits the pieces of the puzzle together. _"You know about the Utroms?!"_ He demands in surprise. Vanessa nods in response, saying, "Yes, my parents are guardians, and my adoptive uncle is Mortu."

Raph's brow furrows in confusion as he recalls, "But the Guardians left with the Utroms. How can yer parents be here?"

Vanessa tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and admits, "Amy and George aren't really my parents, they've just looked after me my entire life, which I guess makes them more so my parents than anyone else. My parents fell in love while they were training to be Guardians, and one year later I was born. They couldn't very well keep me in such a dangerous position, what with the evil forces Uncle Mortu told me about wreaking havoc in New York. The Utroms confided in some of their human allies, and Amy and George volunteered to raise me. My grandfather had been a Guardian, but when he hurt his leg in battle, he could no longer serve. He instead took the liberty of teaching me ninjitsu, and I learned a lot from him."

Vanessa's voice wavers. Tears threaten to pour out of her eyes as she swallows the lump in her throat and bowls on, "Months before my uncle, my parents and the other Guardians went back to the home world, Mortu told me of strange turtle creatures who fought the Shredder and his army of Foot ninja. I was fascinated by their skill. My Uncle Mortu, my parents and the other Utroms and Guardians left shortly after; the day the TCRI building imploded. My grandfather died not too long after because he was ill, and you know the rest."

Raph looks down and whispers, "I'm sorry," as she straightens up. Face fallen, he remarks, "I guess that ya don't think 'bout me the same way, now that ya know."

Snapping out of her reminiscence, Vanessa glances at Raph in confusion. She lifts his chin and forces him to look into her eyes, his orbs of deep hazel locking with her blue eyes. Passion pulsating in her voice, she assures, "You are beautiful no matter how you look, Raph."

This surprises him, but not so much as when she leans in and kisses him on the lips gently. After a few seconds she pulls back slowly, the wind whipping her hair into her vision. Raphael can't take his eyes off of her, a new expression on his face as his heart thumps loudly in his chest.

"What happened to the whole tough guy thing?" Vanessa jokes, winking at him. She slides down from the railing and starts toward his motorcycle. She takes only two steps before she is caught by her waist and pulled to Raph's body, his lips pressing hard against hers. After the initial surprise Vanessa's arms slither around his neck and she hugs her body closer to his, his cool fingers sending shivers up her spine. Releasing a soft moan into his lips, she tilts her head slightly and changes the shape of her mouth around his, earning herself a sigh from Raph as his hands slide back down the length of her sides. He finally releases her and she tries to speak, only able to manage, "Wow."

Clearing his throat, Raph lets her go and nudges her to the bike as a hint. She takes her seat in front and Raph climbs on behind her, leaving his molecular changer in his pocket. Vanessa is just as reckless and places her helmet on her lap. Raph demands, "What are ya, crazy?"

"Life's more fun when it's dangerous," she retorts, smiling. "Even you can agree with that."

At her response Raph shakes his head and chuckles quietly, clutching the handle bars over her hands as he revs the engine. He kicks starts the motorbike and they zoom down the dock, Vanessa's face showing excitement. Raph aims for a three foot ramp and they soar into the air, Vanessa squealing in shock and taking refuge in the warmth of his body, the wind roaring by loudly. Raph smirks and pushes himself closer, willing the ride to last forever.

All too soon, they pull up to the apartment, Raph cutting the engine and slipping off his helmet. Vanessa turns slightly on the bike and throwing a quick glance at the illuminated window, she wraps one arm around Raph's neck and presses her lips to his. Raph is surprised that she's so comfortable kissing an enormous turtle, but he nonetheless returns the kiss just as enthusiastically. Little do they know, they're being watched.

"I can't believe he told her," Leonardo mutters bitterly, arms folded tightly across his chest. Mikey and Don exchange a look between themselves to the icy inflection in their brother's voice, and the more conversational of the two tries to take some of the heat off of Raph. Trying his best to be sensitive to both parties, Don insists, "Raph wouldn't have told her if he didn't think he could trust her. I'm sure that she'll keep it to herself."

"She'd _better_ keep it to herself, or else I'll have to sic Klunk on her," Mikey whispers back, laughing at his own joke. The more intelligent brother rolls his eyes and assures, "She's trustworthy and against the Foot. This new ally couldn't hurt considering how much ground the Foot have been gaining lately. I mean, last week alone we shut down five Foot operations and three Purple Dragon deals."

Leo frowns, glaring down at his brother's shell.

Vanessa pulls away from Raph unexpectedly and darts her eyes around the empty alley. Thinking it's more Foot, Raph reaches for the hilts of his sais but Vanessa stops the metal from sliding out of his belt, checking the area around them. Something in her senses tells her to look up and she does so, catching the glimpse of a green, two-toed foot dangling over the edge of the rooftop. As inconspicuously as possible she indicates it to Raph, the turtle's eyes narrowing on the olive toes. Instead of getting mad, he decides to trick them, asking in a voice loud enough for his brothers to hear, "D'ya wanna go inta the apartment fer some action?"

She furrows her brow, but catching on quickly she replies in a silky voice, "Sure baby, let's have some fun…Wait, what about the chaperones?"

"They won't be able ta hear us in the downstairs apartment," he hints and leads her to the door with his hand on her butt.

"Don't push it, Raph," she hisses through clenched teeth, annoyed that he would even think about touching her bum. Smirking, Raph counters, "How d'ya know I wasn't gonna do that anyway?" Vanessa frowns at being so exploited and gives his side a jab with her elbow. To get himself back on her good side Raph gives her a light peck on the temple, then the two slip into the dark bedroom of the apartment April used to rent out. They crouch in the corner and wait for a creak of the floorboards to tell them that their plan worked. Vanessa comes up with another idea and makes a pleasurable moan escape her lips. Raph looks at her in question and she whispers, "We have to be a little convincing," releasing another soft sound and making her breathing more ragged. Once again Raph says, "Yer crazy." Despite this conclusion, he joins in, dragging a blanket off the bed and rubbing it between his fingers to make a rustling sound.

Then, the light padding of feet can be heard and the pair tense up waiting for the right moment. As soon as the door is open a crack, Vanessa reaches above her head and flicks on the light to reveal the three spies looking guilty as children who just spilled grape juice all over their mother's white rug.

"What the _shell_ are you guys doin' spyin' on us?" Raph demands angrily, his voice so quiet and fierce that they fear for their lives. Not one to let others blame him for being responsible, Leo demands while pointing at Vanessa every time he stresses a word, "What do _you _think_ you're _doing, telling _her_ what we are and taking _her_ into the apartment _alone_?"

His innocence the only thing keeping him from hurting his brother, Raph leaps up off the floor and explains, "Okay, fer the first one: she trusted me an' told me about herself, so I though she had the right ta know. Secondly, we only did _this_ to catch you three in the act, and ya know what? _It worked_!"

His eyes flashing dangerously, Leo admonishes, "What could she tell you that would make you risk being discovered by the world? This infatuation has completely influenced your judgment! How do you know she's not working undercover for the Foot?"

Raph finally loses his cool and with deadly accuracy, punches and area of skin in Leo's direction, though it's softer than he expected. His eyes widen to the size of saucers when he sees Vanessa directly in front of him with a steadily bleeding lip, Leo looking just as shocked behind her. _'Why would she take a hit for me after I accused her of working with the Foot?' _Leo wonders.

Inhaling a deep breath, Vanessa says firmly, "You two have to calm down. Leo," He jumps at his name, expecting an earful. "...go out to the shop. And Raph." Raph flinches at the force behind her words and Vanessa says quietly, "You go upstairs to the living room. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get cleaned up."

She marches out of the room trying to appear alright, but she only softens the look of anguish on her face as she jogs up the stairs with tears blurring her vision.

Mikey watches her disappear and asks, "How many problems have we caused for her? First there was the drugged drink, then the fight with the Foot, and now this. Talk about an excessive doctor's bill!"

Don slaps Mikey in the back of the head and shoots a disappointed look at his eldest brothers before following Vanessa to help her with her bleeding lip. Raph also sends Leo a glare and sulkily goes to his 'time out' upstairs, Leo sighing and going to his designated Alcatraz. Mikey shakes his head and goes up the stairs himself, ducking into the kitchen before Raph can say anything to him.

The cool water pouring from the tap soaks the dark facecloth, water streaming from Vanessa's wrist to the end of her elbow where it drips into the rapidly forming puddle on the counter. Don knocks on the doorframe, asking tentatively, "Can I come in?"

She refuses to turn around but nods, bending further over the sink and pressing the cloth against her lip that creates a river of crimson in the porcelain sink. Hoping to get a verbal response, Don offers gently, "Do you want me to help?"

Head still lowered, she mumbles, "No thanks, I'm fine," into the face cloth, the sound of her voice making it obvious that she is _not_ fine. Don rests his hand on her shoulder, and though she tenses, he inhales with confidence and lets reason reign. "Vanessa, you _know _that Leo didn't mean what he said, and that Raph didn't want to hurt you or his brother. They just…get angry sometimes."

The huge lump in her throat is nearly impossible to swallow, but she does and gives a nod as a tear slides down the curve of her cheek slowly. One swipe of Don's finger is all it takes to brush it away, the action forcing Vanessa to look up at him. His expression kind, he apprehends the cloth from Vanessa's hand, trying to make the blood clot faster by pressing it more firmly to her lips. In an attempt to convince her that Leo doesn't hate her, he asserts, "Their fight was not your fault. In fact, you were the one who actually stopped it. That's something I haven't accomplished in a long time."

She gives another solemn nod to his dry chuckle, her throat too tight to say anything. Another tear travels down her red cheek and with a weak sniffle she wipes it away, avoiding his eyes. Her eyes show no emotion even though dry tear tracks are on her face. After a drawn-out inward battle she finally manages to apologize quietly, "I'm sorry for causing the Foot to come here, I didn't mean to be such a bother. I feel so guilty; Leo was really upset and disappointed in me—"

"Don't pay Leo any mind!" Don says forcefully, Vanessa jumping to the incredible increase in volume. Trying to be a bit more sensitive to how easily she can be startled, Don insists, "Don't feel bad. To the contrary, you should feel honored that you've earned his respect so quickly."

At this fleeting thought Vanessa blushes, the blush hidden by her already scarlet face. Smiling appreciatively, Vanessa says, "Thank you, Don," and wraps her arms impulsively around his shell. To say he is surprised would be an understatement, but he returns the hug warmly, if not awkwardly.

_ 'Now, to go talk to him,' _she says to herself, leaving the bathroom with only one thought on her mind.

Leo's head perks up to the sound of soft footsteps coming toward him, expecting Mikey or Don. Instead he is greeted by Vanessa, the bleeding of her lip subsided and only a faint tint of purple to her cheek. The tension tangible in the air between them, she shifts uncomfortably and asks, "A-Are you…okay?"

All she receives as an answer is a stiff nod of the head, followed by a pair of eyes darting from hers. Taking in a sharp breath she blurts, "We have to get an understanding Leo, or we won't be able to tolerate each other. I want to know why you don't trust me."

Head lowered, he confesses in a quiet, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I'm…jealous of you." Certain she heard him wrong, Vanessa asks, "What?"

"I _said_ I'm jealous of you," Leo repeats, his voice a bit louder. He looks embarrassed as he explains, "It doesn't seem _fair_ that you can come into Raphael's life and he wants to share everything with you. I'm his _brother_, and he won't tell me _anything_! I have to figure it out by trial and error. And he cares about you so much, it's so hard to believe he could love someone that much."

_ 'Wow. Leo is really upset. And Raph loves me? No, he can't __**love**__ me. It's too early.'_

To take a bit of the attention and —she thinks that's what it's meant to be— flattery away from herself, she admits, "Well, I think that he likes you a little more than he lets on. He's always saying how brave and focused you are. You're really important to him, and he respects you a lot, Leo."

Silence takes over for a long moment, until Vanessa acknowledges, "I'd better go talk to Raph, I think he's beaten himself up enough internally by now, don't you?"

Leo chuckles, a new bond formed between him and Vanessa after the heart to heart, and they go upstairs together. Once he's in the room, all Leo's intentions to talk to Raph are tainted by his worries of having his head ripped off again. To Leo's uncommon passiveness, Vanessa sighs and takes a seat on the couch next to Raph. Face reproachful, she apologizes, "I'm sorry I got in the middle of this family feud, Raph, I just couldn't stand by and watch you two tear each other to pieces—"

"Ya don't have ta apologize, it's my fault. I'm the one who let my temper get the better o' me, but I didn't mean ta hurt ya," he replies, letting his palm slide down her uninjured cheek tenderly. He then looks to his brother and adds, "I'm also sorry fer what I said earlier, and the way I acted. Can ya forgive me?"

"You know I can, hothead," Leo jokes, punching Raph's arm lightly. Vanessa is overjoyed that they're on good terms again, but can't help but wonder why men show affection so violently. Moving closer to her, Raph implores, "What d'ya say, can _you_ forgive me?"

Vanessa's brow furrows as she pretends to consider his request, then smiling, she answers, "Yes," kissing him gingerly. Almost instantly, she pulls back and yelps, pressing her sore lips together at the pain. After swallowing a mouthful of chips, Mikey teases from the table, "That's what you get for makin' out in public!"

Vanessa narrows her eyes and grabs the couch cushion underneath Raph's backside, throwing it at Mikey's head. On impact she warns, "Think fast!"

Mikey falls off the chair as the air borne pillow hits the side of his head, sending chips flying in all directions. Rubbing his head, he groans, "Dude, that was, like, déjà vu!"

_And so Vanessa and Raph's secrets are revealed! Didn't see that coming, did ya?_

_Teehee_ (:

_What did you think of Raph and Vanessa's make out(s)? Pretty steamy, eh? The funniest part for me about it is that I'm not usually that comfortable making sexy scenes in my stories, but I've been getting really good at it lately! It's only a matter of time now… _

_Again, I'm sorry this chapter came really late, but I've had a lot of stuff happening lately, and I really couldn't find the time to finish. Don't worry, there's more to come in the adventures of my turtles and the ladies who've captured their hearts!_

_Please review, or zombies will eat you! _ ;)

_The Light of Reason_


	11. Fun in the Sun: Part One

_Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT, already!!!! Jeez, don't you guys get it?! I would LOVE to, but I don't, so stop asking me!!!_

_(sniffle)It's a very sensitive subject._

_However, I do own Sam, Lily, Rachel and Vanessa. _:D

_I'll be really quick because I know you'd prefer to read the chapter than have me tell you about it, so here we go! It's fall, but it's still warm enough to go where they're going. Where are they going, you ask? I guess you'll have to read it to find out. So, enjoy this chapter, it's a fun chapter!_

_PS-Last edited March 15th, 2010_

"Are we there yet?" Mikey whines for the thirty-seventh time from the back seat, a tortured expression on his face.

"_No_!" his brothers, Sam, Vanessa, Lily and Rachel shout in unison, throwing angry glares at him. Sour because he was yelled at, Mikey grumbles something about if he were driving, the ride wouldn't take so long. At the very end of her rope, Rachel rounds on him and admonishes viciously, "Overnight trips are stressful enough without you complaining, now I don't want to hear another word!"

"But—"

"Not…another…word," she repeats slowly, her voice threatening. Master Splinter sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. The rodent resents sitting in the back seat with the "kids" and attempts to block them out. This is a difficult task to undertake, but becomes impossible because of the molecular changer on his boney wrist. He envies Casey and April tailing them in the peace and quiet of their own car, the calm atmosphere much more appealing than that of the cramped, young adult infested Battle Shell. Nevertheless, he does not regret proposing an overnight camping trip on some of Casey's property, as he said to the girls to 'take a break from the business of New York.' In all honesty, he is actually suspicious that the Foot may know where their lair is, so for safety, they decided to go on a short road trip. They invited the girls along in case any of them are in danger by association, so now the whole gang is driving down the highway, trying not to kill anyone, namely Mikey.

For Donatello, it has been the longest car ride he has ever had to endure, squashed in the back between Rachel and Lily with Master Splinter, Mikey and the other two girls across from him, Raph and Leo in the front seat. He now fully appreciates the silence that seeped throughout the vehicle when they had first hopped in the Battle Shell. That dream was shattered when Mikey began singing, "I Know a Song That Gets on Everybody's Nerves" not fifteen minutes into the trip. Needless to say, Raph stopped that abruptly. Gazing blankly out the window, he brightens suddenly and exclaims with relief, "We're here!"

Everyone sits bolt upright, craning their necks to see out the windows. To their amazement, there is a sparkling blue lake and a thick, lush wood to the right of the Battle Shell. A sanctuary! Leo hastily parks the van on a dirt road leading to the site, and all nine passengers eagerly tumble out of the Battle Shell into the fresh air.

"Freedom!" Mikey shouts excitedly, kissing the ground beneath his feet. Nose crinkling in slight disgust, Sam mutters, "Remind me not to kiss him anymore," to Lily. She is relieved to be out of the van and inhales the delicious air deeply, closing her eyes happily. Unfortunately, she is rudely awakened by a sleeping bag colliding with the side of her head. Unfortunately, that is, for whoever threw the projectile. Lily starts and searches for her attacker, eyes narrowing on Mikey, Raph, and Leo who are laughing. The only one looking directly at her is Don, who smiles a little and raises an eyebrow. A quiet growl escapes her throat, but she resolves to wait for the moment her quarry will least expect an attack. Standing up, she dusts the grass off the back of her white and blue striped Bermuda shorts and slings her backpack over her shoulder, the shoestring around her sleeping bag held fast in the opposite fist. Making an example of Lily, everyone else heaves cargo onto their backs, Mikey groaning more loudly than necessary, and they set off to find a camp site.

The walk is a quiet one with only the crunching of sneakers and murmured conversation able to be heard. An idea pops into Rachel's head and she announces, "I have a game. Who wants to play?"

"ME!" Sam cries, waving her hand wildly in the air. The others simply say, "Sure," or nod. Smiling, Rachel begins by saying, "I'm going on a picnic—"

"_Yes!"_ Vanessa cheers, and grins at being the only other person who knows how to play the game. Rachel continues as if no one interrupted her, "and I'm going to bring lemons. What are you going to bring, Vanessa?"

She seems to consider this for a while, and then says, "I'm going to bring an apple pie." Rachel nods in approval and says, "You can come."

Don is the next to speak and he asks, "Can I bring the ozone layer?"

Laughing, Rachel replies, "Yes. Now who wants to go next?" Brow furrowed in concentration, Sam asks, "Can I bring an aardvark?"

"No," Rachel answers lightly. Racking her brain, Lily asks, "Can I bring a Yeti?"

"Yes," Rachel answers, and Leo ventures, asking, "Can I bring, uh…wood?"

"No," Don, Lily, Vanessa and Rachel answer, Leo's shoulders slouching in disappointment. Raph wonders, "Can I bring a lollipop?"

Blinking in surprise that Raph got the pattern, Rachel stammers, "Y-yes" Mikey releases an exasperated sigh and exclaims, "This game makes no sense at all!"

"To the contrary, my son; it makes perfect sense," his Sensei replies, and states, "I am going to bring a road map."

"You can come," Vanessa says lightly, smiling when Sam's eyebrows shoot up in realization and she smacks herself lightly in the forehead. Noticing how hard Sam's trying to contain herself, Rachel suggests, "Anyone who hasn't guessed yet should guess before Sam explodes."

Casey asks, "Can I bring soup?"

"Nope," Lily replies, and April informs, "I'm going to bring a lilac."

"You can come," Rachel answers, and Mikey asks, "Can I bring a yo-yo?"

"Um…I guess so," Don allows, even more surprised by Mikey figuring out the game than Raph. He grins in triumph and says, _"Sweet!"_

"So, you have no idea why you were right?" Rachel wonders. Smiling triumphantly, Mikey replies, "Not the faintest clue."

Shaking his head, Leo mutters, "This game is so inconsistent! I mean, what good are lilacs, yo-yos and the ozone layer?"

"Oh, oh! Can I go next? Please?" Sam begs, jumping up and down in impatience. Rachel nod and Sam says, "I'm going to bring the alphabet!"

"You can come," Vanessa replies, and Sam has a bit more bounce in her step as she walks across a fallen tree. Leo finally gets it and asks, "Can I bring an orangutan?"

"Absolutely!" Sam replies, then adds, "This is going to be an awesome picnic!"

"What will you bring, Casey?" April demands, a hint of mocking in her tone. He shrugs and says, "A tent?"

"Sorry Case, you can't come," Raph teases, and Rachel offers to tell him why not.

"It's because whatever item you brought had to begin with the last letter of your first name, and had to have the same amount of syllables as your name."

"But how'd Mikey slide by? His name has like…one two three…five syllables! And his name ends in 'O'!" Raph wonders, and Vanessa replies, "Because his nickname ends with 'Y', and it has two syllables-the same as yo-yo."

"Cheap," Raph mutters, and he grumbles beneath his breath until the loud sound of backpacks hitting the grassy ground startles him, everyone stretching and cracking joints after their long walk through the woods. The youngest eight tug two large blue and yellow tents from the drawstring bags. With much difficulty, they hoist the tents up, the girls taking a little longer to finish their tent than the boys because of some unruly tent pegs. Mikey and Raph decide that making a few jokes at the girls' expense is incredibly funny. Sadly for the pair, one remark too many results in being pelted by chestnuts.

"Think about that next time, guys!" Vanessa hints as they groan, Mikey rubbing his head and Raph his arm. After they put up the clothesline, all of them flop down on the ground for a rest. Valued silence settles over the camp…for about twenty seconds. Once again, Mikey becomes bored, and begins to fiddle with a wire rack, worrying Leo. He suggests they go to the lake for some contests and swimming despite his fatigue, and everyone agrees hastily when they hear the clattering of metal coming from Mikey's direction. Mikey smiles apologetically by the pile of dishes now on the grass and says, "My bad!" They know _anything_ is better than Mikey being bored.

As soon as they arrive at the banks of the vast blue lake, the first argument is about teams.

"We should have mixed teams," Rachel suggests, pushing her long bangs from her face and looking for support on the thought. Crossing his arms over his chest firmly to show he can make decisions as well, Raph disagrees loudly, "No way! We're keepin' the same groups as the tent arrangements," simply for the sake of arguing.

Trying to be chivalrous to the ladies, Leo protests, "That wouldn't be fair."

"Yeah," Sam agrees with a nod, saying generously, "we don't want our team to win because we have better players." The four boys narrow their eyes on the smirks and sympathetic looks they receive from the girls, Don assuring haughtily, "You won't be saying that when our team wins."

"I'd like to see you four try," Lily scoffs, rolling her eyes at them.

"You will when you get in here for the coin toss."

"Fine!"

_"Fine!"_

Identically fierce expressions contorting each face, a delicate but deadly staring contest stretches out between Lily and Don, no one daring to cut into it. Expecting to have her head torn off, Vanessa bravely ventures, "Wow. I guess competition _can _bring out the worst in people."

The pair snap their heads in her direction, their glares pressing her lips together. Don returns to the stare down, drawing a quarter from his pocket and flipping it. The moment the coin is in the air, Lily calls out, "Tails!"

George Washington's drawn face with its enormous nose rears its ugly head, Lily frowning with great distaste. To the contrary, a satisfied smirk takes over Don's usually humble face and he taunts, "I guess we get to pick the first challenge."

"Whatever," Lily mutters, a scowling. The four boys crowd into a huddle, Mikey's uncontrollable giggles making the girls wary. They are pleasantly surprised—not to mention relieved—when Leo states, "The first contest is a tug of war, best two out of three."

Not too intimidated, the girls exchange glances, nods and shoulder shrugs, confident they can hold out. A barely contained grin on his face, Mikey says, "You'll want these," tossing four gigantic white T-shirts at them and glancing back at his brothers. Each girl looks perplexed, unable to understand what they need the shirts for. That is, until they see the turf. It is a large patch of dry land surrounding a huge pit of mud, divided roughly in half by a thick yellow rope.

"I am _not_ doing this!" Vanessa refuses, arms crossed over her chest to emphasize her position on the matter. Hot breath grazes her neck as Raph whispers in her ear from behind, "Afraid ta get dirty, Miss Ninja?"

Narrowing her eyes, she snatches his wrist and twists it, knocking his feet out from under him. She kicks his shin playfully and teases, "And you're in Chunin?"

Raph releases a labored sigh, trying to right himself though his dignity is long gone. To rub salt into the wound, Vanessa offers him her hands and tugs him to his feet effortlessly to his resentment.

"Whoa, she's got some guns," Mikey notes, chuckling at Raph who is almost sent forward by Vanessa's forceful pull. The girls snigger, thinking how funny Raph's face was when Vanessa helped him up, his manliness tarnished. Vanessa just smiles and tugs the enormous shirt over her head, grimacing when she notices it goes practically to her knees.

"What, did you steal this tent from the circus?" she asks, straightening out the wrinkles as best as she can. A grin on his face, Mikey replies, "Yeah, but we have to bring them back by midnight. It's only a rental."

Lily shrugs her shoulders and pulls hers on; suddenly looking very embarrassed when she notices it looks like she's not wearing any pants. As if reading her mind, Raph assures, "Don't worry, the only one who's looking is Don…and quite possibly Mikey…"

"Hey!" they two youngest boys exclaim in outrage, as Lily looks warily between the two, shuffling a little closer to Vanessa…just in case. Raph backs up as his usually good-humored brothers close in menacingly, almost stumbling over a log in his hurry. Rachel rolls her eyes and mutters, "Men," beneath her breath. Seeing Raph open his mouth to argue, Sam cuts in desperately with what she believes is an impressive voice, "That's enough talk! Let the games begin." This results in everyone on the shore laughing at her. She heaves a deep sigh, tugs the hem of her shirt and picks up a section of the rope, the other competitors doing the same. Muscles tensed and faces set, the two teams wait readily, beginning the second April says, "Go!"

The bout is over in seconds, the four girls landing in a heap, covered in dark mud.

"_So_ not worth it," Rachel grumbles, getting up and using the back of her wrist to wipe some from her forehead. The successful team bursts out laughing and exchanges many high fives and congratulating back slaps. Scraping the mud from between her fingers, Sam reminds them, "That was only one round! How do you know we won't win?"

"'Cause we're the team with the most skill," Mikey teases with a cocky smile on his face. Lily wipes the excess mud from her hands on her T-shirt and grabs the rope, staring down Leo on the opposite end. This time, Casey asks, "Can I say it?"

"Go ahead," Raph replies, smirking at Vanessa who returns it with a glare.

"Then on go. One…two…three……………."

"Just say it!" Sam snaps, ready to hit Casey if he doesn't hurry up. Flinching, Casey shouts, "Go!"

The girls pull as hard as they can, leaning back to gain weight. But it's not working! Rachel's mind is a blur as she tries to think of a plan, the brown pit getting nearer and nearer. A strategy presents itself just in time, and turning her head, Rachel orders, "Lean forward," followed a moment later by, "Now, pull back!"

With the force caused by the girls suddenly throwing back their weight, the boys lurch forward into the wet mess. A defiant smile on her face, Vanessa taunts, "Who's up for round three?"

The boys get up slowly to the sound of someone humming, now every exposed part of their bodies smothered in a layer of filth. Once on their feet, they see Sam and Rachel doing a victory dance as Sam hums 'We are the Champions'.

As it is the finalizing battle, both sides are equally determined to win. Thoughts race through Leo's mind as he lifts the rope, words echoing over and over in his head: You have to prove yourself. Clenching his teeth, Leo braces his arms for any amount of power they have.

"Go!" April calls. The teams on either end of the rope pull back with all their might, none of them willing to lose. Sam bites her lip to hold back a yelp, her palms burning as the yellow rope slides from her grip, her fingers tightening around it to keep her hold. Trying to jerk it from their hands, Vanessa takes steps backwards slowly, not sure if she is imagining the labored look on the brothers' faces. Her eyes stay a second longer on Mikey's faces, his lips moving so little she almost missed it. She wonders what he's whispering until realization hits her across the head: He's doing a count down.

_'A countdown to what?'_ she wonders. She doesn't get to ask, as she is suddenly sent flailing forward, landing atop Sam and Lily, Rachel falling down on her. Once Rachel gets off of Vanessa, she rolls off of Sam and Lily. Vanessa gives her head a shake and asks, "What happened?"

"They let go of the rope," Rachel replies scornfully, feeling stupid because she didn't think of it first. To be nice, Leo offers his hand to Rachel, a sincere smile on his face. Rachel smiles sweetly at the gesture, clasping his hand gently in hers, but her expression becomes wicked as she tugs him into the mud beside her. Vanessa's frown becomes a smirk, Rachel's idea sounding not so bad at the moment. She sweeps Raph's feet out from under him and grins at the sight of his body submerged in the thick fluid, his curses muffled. Sam is no sooner on her feet than she leaps onto Mikey's back and latches herself on tightly, sending him face first into the pit. Showing more restraint than the other girls, Lily stands next to Don with arms folded across her chest, amused by their tactics. She watches them for a moment, allowing Don to think he's safe, and then pushes Don into the muck. Caught completely off guard, Don brushes the mud from his eyes and demands, "What was that for?"

One hand planted on her hip, Lily replies, "That was for the sleeping bag. You didn't think I forgot, did you?"

A handful of mud hits Lily's thigh in place of a response, and she closes her eyes to calm herself, her lips pressed into a thin line. All thoughts toward the possibility of handling this calmly are thrown out the metaphorical window when another amount of mud hits her, this time on her chest. Her eyes open slowly and flash as she unexpectedly lunges, tackling Don into the mess further.

Mikey looks up at Casey and April when he hears loud laughter, the pair holding their aching sides and tears forming in April's eyes. He releases Sam from the hold he has around her waist, staggering to his feet. His arms open wide and hi face eaten by his grin, Mikey asks, "How 'bout a hug, Case?"

Hands up defensively as Mikey comes toward him, Casey threatens, "You'd better not come near me unless you want my foot up your a-"

He's too late. Mikey wraps his arms tightly around Casey's torso before he finishes his sentence, snuggling his face into his shirt. April's breath comes in gasps, unable to do anything but shake, until two pairs of _very_ muddy arms wrap about her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Leo! R-Raph! Seriously guys, let go!" she begs, squirming to remove their filthy appendages from her. They finally release her a few seconds later, leaving almost her entire upper body covered in mud. It helps only a little that Casey is still caught in Mikey's hug.

_Okey dokey, so that's part one of the adventure! It's a super long chapter, so I decided to cut it into two or three parts. I'm not quite sure how many yet. _

_So, there wasn't really much that happened this chapter. It was mainly an excuse to have some fun at the turtles' expense!_

_Hope you enjoyed it, and keep checking! The next one should be out soon! I love you all!_

_Review and swear your allegiance to me. Together, we will make the TMNT rule the world! Woohoo!_

_XD_


	12. Fun in the Sun: Part Two

_Disclaimer: I sadly do not own the TMNT. They belong to Eastman & Laird, Mirage Studios, and are played on 4kids TV. I do not happen to work at or own any of those companies; therefore I will simply admire what I can't have from afar. Depressing, isn't it? On the plus side, I own Vanessa, Lily, Rachel and Sam!_

_Okay, so here's a brief: This chapter starts off directly after where the other one ended. Mikey is still hugging Casey, all of them are still covered in mud, and the girls are still wearing their parachutes-I mean giant T-shirts. I will play with their hormones in this chapter, and there will be some more jumping from one place to another, but rest assured that it will all make sense!…hopefully. Enjoy this chapter, there is one more fun one to come before we get back to the real world, where problems are of abundance. Oh, if life was only as simple as TV! Problems would be solved in less than 30 minutes, fewer than 60 if you're unlucky, and we would all be really witty and have exceptionally nice clothing. But this is reality, and no matter how much I wish, there's nothing I can do about it._

_Sorry for babbling on and on. Have fun reading! _:D

_PS- Last edited March 15, 2010_

The girls can't help but laugh at Mikey, snuggling into Casey's chest like a little kitten. Casey looks pissed and utterly repulsed. Rachel has to admire Mikey's moxie and guts, but supposes that he'll get away with it because he's the baby of the family. She can see somewhat why Sam likes Mikey, yet still prefers Leonardo, so sweet and strong and kind and…

_ 'Whoa there, girl," _she says to herself, slowing her thoughts down and not going any further. She reaches up to wipe her forehead then freezes, not wanting to smudge the mud already on her face. Almost regretting the idea of agreeing to the tug of war, she suggests, "We should clean off before the next challenge," pulling of her enormous white shirt. Then glancing over at the boys' father sitting on a large rock with a hint of a smile on his face as he watches his sons, she lifts her pink tank top over her head quickly and tugs off her jean shorts, revealing a brown and white bikini. Rachel seems to take no notice of the gawking teen boys, wading into the cool water slowly. By this time, Sam has her shirt off and her plaid shorts pulled down to her knees, showing her itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini, Lily already ankle deep in the water, sporting a teal one piece. Vanessa seems reluctant, but finally takes off her clothes to display her red and white tankini, the disgusting feel of the mud winning over her insecurity. She makes to take a step, turning suddenly on the boys and asks, "Aren't you four going to clean off too?"

Snapping out of his trance, Raph nudges Leo to bring his brother back to his senses, Don jerking his own head sharply to rouse himself. Every effort put into looking at only her face, Don replies as smoothly as possible, "We want to give you girls privacy while you clean off," internally smacking himself when he glances at Lily bent over in the water.

"Giving us privacy would involve you guys closing your eyes," Vanessa recommends over her shoulder, walking deeper into the water. They are quick to take her advice, turning around and clenching their eyes shut, Leo's hand finding Mikey's eyes to cover. Realizing his arms are still around Casey's waist, Mikey lets go, sending a longing, blind look to the lake.

To the girls, it is hilarious, and they quietly murmur and laugh among themselves at the behavior of the boys. "Hormones can be a pain in the ass," Sam remarks, remembering the days when she used to moon over any boy who played on a sport team or had blue eyes.

_ 'I was so shallow back then,' _she chuckles to herself, then looks at Mikey. _'Oh. Okay, maybe I haven't changed that much."_ Shrugging her shoulders she excuses herself, defending that Mikey came to her first.

After a few more minutes in the water, the girls splash back to shore, finding refuge in their beach towels. Thankful that they are allowed to open their eyes, but vision impaired from the sudden brightness, the brothers pull off their shirts quickly and go into the blue lake. The mud now dry, Mikey has to scrub hard to wash the caked mud from his knees and is about to wash the filth from his lower back when he notices the four who had demanded privacy sitting on their towels with their heads together watching them. Shielding his body as much as possible from view, he points them out to Don who suddenly feels violated.

"Hey! We didn't look at you girls when you were cleaning off, why do you get to stare at us?" Donatello asks, bending over a little in the water. While he attempts to hide his abs, Lily laughs and concludes, "Vanessa didn't say anything about it being reciprocal."

_ 'I've got to admit, he's hot. Not to mention intelligent, modest, funny, kind and talented. What did I do to deserve him?" _As she fantasizes, Lily's eyes become soft and dreamy, her mind wandering aimlessly until a voice jerks her out of it.

"How are you Lily?" Splinter enquires and Lily starts, finally noticing she's sitting all alone now, the other girls throwing around a yellow plastic Frisbee. So much for being inconspicuous. Blinking rapidly, she stammers with a flush on her cheeks, "F-fine. It's a lovely day."

Master Splinter nods in agreement and Lily opens her mouth to say something, changing her mind at the last second and closing it reproachfully. However, he asks without missing a beat, "What is it you wish to discuss with me?"

Eyes on the grass she replies lightly, "Nothing in particular, I just want to talk about whatever comes to mind…unless you're busy, because I can just leave you alone and stop talking if you want me to—"

"It is alright," the man interjects with a chuckle, her quickening stream of words petering out to nothing. She is for some inexplicable reason captured by the older "man's" eyes, noticing that though they are surrounded by wrinkles they are lively, kind and soft. Looking deeper, she sees hardship, pain remorse and loss harbored deep within them, surfacing for but a moment in the small black orbs. A little wary that her eyes can penetrate his own like this, Master Splinter remains still and skims her thoughts and memories. He confirms that she is no threat and patiently waits for her to finish her journey through his eyes, Lily giving her head a sound shake to come back to the present. A knowing smile on his face, Splinter comments certainly, "You have a gift."

"W-what?" she breathes in utter bewilderment, confusion tangible in her furrowed brow and cloudy expression. Trying to make it more understandable, he explains, "You have a gift of seeing what few can see. You can know the emotions, personalities and intentions of others by simply gazing into their eyes. This is a rare gift among those who do not practice meditation or the martial arts, and is therefore an uncommon and remarkable thing."

Still perplexed to no end, Lily leans forward slightly in interest, eager to know more about what she has always taken to be good judgment and perception.

A few minutes of clarification later, she asks very slowly after organizing this new information, "So what you're telling me is that I have some kind of ability that allows me to know people's minds, and because of that I have a link or destiny with the martial arts?"

Smile twitching ever so little at the corners of his mouth, the Sensei replies, "Not quite, but that is partially what I meant."

Compelled to ask more, Lily starts, "So if—"

"LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-LYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Sam calls, beckoning with her fingers. To her visible reluctance, Vanessa insists, "We can't win without you!"

Lily stands quickly and excuses herself out of politeness, hurrying over to join her teammates. As she draws up to them, she demands apprehensively, "What are we doing this time?" preoccupied with her new knowledge and unasked questions.

"A relay through the woods," Rachel replies, not seeming too bothered by the dramatic change in Lily's expression from curiosity and optimism to one that says 'I wish you hadn't told me that!'.

_ 'A race against the guys? Are they nuts?! We were beaten badly in the tug of war; imagine what will happen in a competition of speed!"_

Lily keeps her opinions to herself, if only to deny the boys satisfaction of hearing how inevitable she thinks their loss is, and instead asks, "What point do I go to?"

"The guess the third one with Don," Vanessa answers.

_ 'I get to race against Don? Hm, this could be interesting…"_

Once all eight are ready in their pairs and Casey's arm comes down, Leo and Rachel, the first pair, lunge forward. Keeping an even pace, neither falters as they weave through the huge, towering trees, their feet beating the ground rhythmically. Leo observes Rachel's muscular legs moving rapidly from the corner of his eye, neck and neck with himself. For fear of losing, he pushes himself harder and gains a few meters on her in mere seconds. Flashing him a dazzling grin, she pumps her legs even faster, gaining a slim lead faster than it took him.

Vanessa and Raphael stand at the ready, arms out, but Vanessa's hand is slapped first and she sets of at an inconceivable speed. Raph has the upper hand, his legs longer than Vanessa's, and he quickly regains the ground lost by Leo. She dares to spare a sideways glance at his face, the determination and passion etched into his expression causing a little flutter to arise in her chest which she frantically forces back down.

_ 'I can't lose, I __**won't**__ lose!' _Vanessa insists, regaining her focus.

The forest around them is a blur, both hearts rattling in their ribcages violently as Lily and Don come into view, hands outstretched. A rush of adrenaline erupts inside Raphael and he smacks Donatello's hand loudly before Vanessa can reach Lily. Wincing at the pain that shoots up his arm, Don shakes it off and turns, running as fast as his feet can carry him. Lily follows not too far behind, the speed of her legs causing her to almost trip over the root of a gnarled oak tree, its fallen leaves crunching beneath her feet. She gains a bit of ground, but Mikey gets a slap on the hand first and runs like a maniac (which he quite possibly is).

Sam pursues him and is shortly in stride with the athlete, near enough for Mikey to feel her loose hair graze his arm. He takes in a sharp breath to the feeling and Sam's eyes flick to his face for a fleeting moment. Wondering what that look of longing was, she hopes against hope that it was for her, a second later regaining her focus. Her steps speed up and she moves slowly but surely ahead of Mikey, her confidence expanding in her chest. She crosses the welcoming finish line, and panting heavily she advises, "Next time, don't celebrate your victory before it's safely in your hands, sweetheart," giving his cheek a friendly tap.

She is absorbed into a gaggle of sweaty but excited teammates, and while enveloped in the noisy embrace, she steals a look back to where she left Mikey. Her face falls when she sees how disappointed he looks, and trying to make him feel better she gives him a smile. Leo taps Mikey on the shoulder and points out Sam who has a sympathetic smile on her face, her lips stretching into a grin as she gives him a flirty wink. With a proud squeeze of the shoulder, Leo assures him, "You did good, Mike."

'Mike'; a name that has been popping up occasionally but more and more lately. Mikey's a little drawn to the name because it sounds more grown up, but he doesn't want to be too serious. He wants to be a ninja that is trusted and responsible, yet can laugh about something completely senseless and beat anybody in a video game. It's hard for him; it feels like he's throwing away his flamboyance, his freedom. _'Mike…'_

"Mikey! Are ya listenin'? We have ta pick the next one!" Raph yells at his baby brother, knocking him out of his musing. Mikey ponders for a moment, then suggests volleyball.

"Volleyball?" Don echoes, his eyes flitting toward the beach three miles up the road. He is answered with a nod, and Leo repeats to the girls, "Volleyball."

The four girls exchange looks and Rachel shrugs. "So be it."

Everyone including Casey, April and Master Splinter pile into the Battle Shell, and they set off down the road, Vanessa fiddling with the radio until a familiar guitar riff crackles over the speakers and Sam demands, "Turn it up!"

Vanessa obliges and Kid Rock's voice floats from the radio, Sam joining in promptly,

_It was 1989, my thoughts were short, my hair was long,_

_Caught somewhere between a boy and man,_

_She was seventeen and she was far from in between_

_It was summertime in Northern Michigan_

Grinning, Rachel and Lily begin to sing along

_Splashin' through the sandbars, talkin' by the campfire_

_It's the simple things in life like when and where,_

_We didn't have no internet but man I never will forget_

_The way the moonlight shined upon her hair_

_And we were tryin' different things_

_We were smokin' funny things _

_Makin' love out by the lake to our favorite song_

_Sippin' whisky out the bottle_

_Not thinkin' 'bout tomorrow _

_Singin' 'Sweet Home Alabama' all summer long_

"Stop singin'! It ain't even summer!" Raph growls, turning around for but a second in the driver's seat to glare at the girls in the back. Face splitting into an enormous grin, Vanessa joins in with just as much gusto,

_And we were tryin' different things_

_We were smokin' funny things_

_Makin' love out my the lake to our favorite song_

_Sippin' whisky out the bottle_

_Not thinkin' 'bout tomorrow_

_Singin' 'Sweet Home Alabama' all summer long _

_Now nothin' seemed as strange as when the leaves began to change_

_Oh how we thought those days would never end_

_Sometimes I hear that song and I start to sing along and think_

'_Man I'd love to see that girl again'_

"God, have mercy on me," Leo mutters as Mikey begins to sing the chorus loudly with the girls, all five dancing in their seats,

_And we were tryin' different things _

_We were smokin' funny things_

_Makin' love out by the lake to our favorite song _

_Sippin' whisky out the bottle_

_Not thinkin' 'bout tomorrow_

_Singin' 'Sweet Home Alabama' all summer long!_

"Whoo!" Vanessa cheers as the song fades out, positively beaming at Raph who is by this time banging his head repeatedly on the steering wheel. Tilting her head to the side in innocence, she teases, "What's wrong, Raphie? Did our singing bother you?"

He lifts his head and gives her death eyes, grumbling sarcastically, "Ya think?"

'Life is a Highway' begins to play and Sam opens her mouth to take a breath, shutting it with a clink of her teeth when Leo hisses, "You sing _one note_ and you'll be _walking_."

The car ride is relatively silent after that threat until the sandy shore comes into view, everyone jumping out of the vehicle and rushing toward the sand. It's really not that difficult to set up the volleyball net…Casey simply makes it difficult by almost snapping one of the poles in two. No one is surprised that he's not chosen as referee, but Casey takes the blow pretty sulkily. Ignoring him, the eight players get in their places in front of the net, Lily asking to play up front.

"Why?" Vanessa asks, wondering what brilliant plan Lily might have up her sleeve. Her smile secretive, she whispers, "You'll see," Vanessa's suspicions nearly confirmed by the tone of Lily's voice.

Don is the first to serve and it soars to Sam's ready hands as if by magnetic force. Sam bumps it easily to Vanessa who sets it straight and perfectly into the air. Out of nowhere Lily jumps high off the sand and strikes it hard into the ground in a vertical line.

"I guess that's our point," Rachel says, still shocked that someone so thin and fragile-looking as Lily could be powerful. They all stare at her in disbelief as satisfied, Lily walks to where she assumes thE court lines are. With a small grunt she serves a fast one over the net, Raph sending the ball to Mikey who just barely sets it properly. Leo moves to spike the ball but before he gets to it, Lily tips it over the net daintily onto the ground at his feet. Becoming more amused by the second, Lily goes back to the imaginary line and hits an over hand serve at Donatello, the ninja knocking it awkwardly back to Leo. Eyes narrowed in concentration, Leo smacks it over the net violently, getting a well earned point for his team.

The shift of power causes a wave of determination to wash over all the players, and Rachel jumps at the first chance she gets to spike the ball back over the net. To her disappointment, Mikey blocks her attempt, receiving an extremely harsh hit to his palms, but he figures the pain is worth it.

Raphael serves again and after two hits from the girls it's sent back to Leo. The eldest bumps it to Raph who sets for Mikey, the little video game addict tipping it over the net under the impression it will be too low to hit by the time anyone is close enough to whack it. This makes it even more disheartening when Lily dives, digging the ball out of its downward spiral toward the sand. Vanessa sets it beautifully, and Lily, being the only one in range, slaps the ball hard toward Mikey. It ricochets off his foot and hits Don in the back, the ball landing on the sand and rolling but an inch before it settles into a footprint.

"Game, set and match," Sam gloats, the opposite team sporting sour frowns after being defeated by the girls. Turning her head toward the other three, Vanessa asks, "Should do our happy dance?"

"I believe now would be the appropriate time," Lily agrees, and they all being a joyful round of the cabbage patch. Leo crosses his arms and rolls his eyes, unimpressed by their display of immaturity. Simply smiling at how disgusted and stone faced he appears to their childish antics, Rachel asks, "Would you care to join our dance?"

He shakes his head but Rachel dances her way over to him anyway and takes both of his hands in hers, moving his arms like a puppet. His face shows a bit of amusement underneath the strong, serious features and she laughs, pecking his cheek. For but a moment, everything is her and he pulls her body a little closer to his with the hold she has on his hands, eyes focused on hers.

"Please, let's keep it G-rated, kids!" Mikey teases. Amazed at how funny he is, Mikey cackles loudly at his own joke. Raising an eyebrow, Sam graces her body lightly against his and sighs.

"Too bad it's G-rated," she bemoans, merely brushing her lips against his and inhaling sharply. Slowly releasing her breath she whispers in a sultry voice, "That means this will be about as far as I get," her lips centimeters from their target. Pulling back with an almost disappointed expression on her face, it becomes a smirk once she turns around and she shrugs her shoulders, swinging her hips as she walks away.

Because Mikey is more or less a human being, he is enticed by that bit of body language and he quickly pretends to draw an invisible cell phone from his pocket, asking, "What's that, Mr. Director? It's now rated PG-13? Excellent!"

Hanging up his 'phone', he tells Sam the good news. She can't help laughing at his work ethic, and shaking her head she states, "Sorry, but I walked out. This wasn't my type of production."

Falling to his knees, Mikey calls out dramatically, _"Samantha!" _arms open wide to bring her back to him. The rejected teen receives a hit on the head from Raph who snaps, "Get over it, goofball."

"Gosh Raphie, don't you know violence is not the answer?" Don chides, disappointed he didn't get the privilege of whacking Mikey across the head himself. Raph cringes at the dreaded nickname and threatens darkly, "Say that again and you can kiss yer hard drive goodbye, brainiac."

"Don't you _dare _touch my computer," Don counters just as seriously as his brother, the passionate fire for his technology burning deeply in his soul, heart ready to suffer anything for his one true love. Besides Lily.

_Muahahahahahahahaha! Evil cliffy! _:D

_I am __**so**__ mean, aren't I? I'm sorry, but I've had to cut this chapter into three parts instead of two. When I get going, a hurricane can't stop me! So there will be one more installment of this day of fun and games, and then ONE MORE (drum roll, please)..._

***********BONUS CHAPTER!!!!!!*******

_Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! _:D

_So…you'll have to wait 'til then. Sorry for the long wait, my internet has been really flaky lately and we have absolutely no idea what's wrong with it! _

_Ooh! Ooh! One more thing before we do the whole 'Have a happy day' final message:_

_ANOTHER DISCLAIMER!!!!!!!!_

_Here it goes._

_Disclaimer: Aside from the fact that I do not own the TMNT, I also do not own Kid Rock's 'All Summer Long' or Rascal Flatts' 'Life is a Highway'(even though Leo wouldn't let Sam sing it. Meanie.) However, as at the beginning of the chapter, I own my OC's Sam, Rachel, Lily and Vanessa. Mine since Christmas 2007! Woot!_

_Now it's time to thank our sponsors. I would like to say a mighty thank you to all the people who manufacture scribblers, pencils and computers (except whoever made this one). You have all done an excellent job. I'd like to also thank God and the Greeks for making the alphabet, and what's his name for making our modern day alphabet. Finally, I'd like to thank chocolate, who helped give me the energy boost to write this stories and the many more to come._

_Wait, here's the final finally: I'd like to thank all of __**you**__ for reading and supporting me. Couldn't have done it without you!_

_Please Review!_

_If you wish to make the author ecstatically happy, send me a cookie via e-mail or post._

_E-mail: thisisnotarealemailaddressI'_

_Address: Geek Street_

_Loserville, Dorkcanada _

_Postal Code: TMNT_

_Like I said, please review! _:D


	13. Fun in the Sun: Part Three

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the TMNT, but I do happen to have a younger brother who is in possession of some of their merchandise. I would in a heartbeat do anything to own the TMNT, so if you guys have any suggestions on how I can make my dream a reality, please let me know! Also whoever parked their green mustang in front of my driveway, would you please remove it by 2:30, or I'll be forced to call a tow truck._

_So, how are you all doing? Good? That's great!_

_Here's the deal: in this chapter, there will be many couple-y moments, so I warn you beforehand that this chapter is not for those who can't stand romantic walks along the beach and vomit at the thought of watching the sunset with their hand in someone else's. I'm sorry it must be this way, but I just couldn't stop myself. I am ashamed. Don't worry, once I get a few more stories up, there will be much more blood and gore! Heehee._

_Also, it's only been an hour since where we left off. Plenty of daylight for an afternoon of fun._

_On with the chapter!_

After a long sun Rachel sits up and stretches, her sun kissed torso flexing to the movement. As she pulls her shorts and tank top back on, her attention is caught by the breathtaking rocky cliffs beyond the thick wood. Eyes never leaving the rock face, she asks, "Does anyone want to go on a hike?"

Leo knows it's now or never to get some alone time with Rachel, so he pipes up, "I'd like to," and stands up from his cross legged position, brushing the sand from the backs of his legs. Rachel smiles to herself and leads the way across the asphalt road over to the tree line, her eyes plastered to the ground as they stroll to the sharp vertical ridges ahead of them. They walk up the uneven terrain of rock with only a few words between them until Rachel asks Leo right out of the blue, "How do you and your family stay so close?"

For a second, he thinks she's joking or being sarcastic, but when she doesn't say anything else he replies, "Well, we try to talk to each other, and we grew up somewhere with not too many people our age, so I guess staying together for hours on end made us bond, whether we wanted to or not."

Nodding, Rachel admits, "My family doesn't really get along well. My older brother has always been full of himself and rebellious, thinking he doesn't even need us, or anyone for that matter. My parents were constantly getting on his case about being so selfish all the time and getting in trouble when finally at nineteen, he left home. He's 27 now, and I haven't seen him in…gosh, it must be three or four years. Last I heard, he was working in a big organization as a manager for a sector of this big tech company and dating some girl who was his secretary. At least that's what my parents gathered from his last phone call home, which was about six weeks ago.

"Because my parents constantly had their hands full with my brother, I always tried so hard to be good and quiet, and they never really got to know me with all the stress and the arguments, not to mention the stone cold silence after every fight that I didn't _dare_ break, lest I would get my head chopped off.

"I guess not knowing me as much as they thought they should made them a little more tearful when I moved out a year ago, but I visit them at least once a week. They've been trying to do a lot for me these past eight years, and it's kind of funny to see my parents acting like they're still thirty five and kicking. My parents are the best and they love me so much, it's hard to imagine what they've put on the line for me.

"Even though we haven't seen my brother since Christmas about three years ago, his presence hangs heavy in our house. It's not like we pretend he doesn't exist; we just avoid talking about him because it's a little awkward to talk about all that's happened in our family. I just feel like it's my fault someti—"

She's cut off as she loses her footing and nearly tumbles backward to the sharp rocks twenty feet below. Thanks to Leo's lightning fast reflexes, he's able to hook his arms under hers, grasp her shoulder blades and pull her tightly to his chest, stopping her fall. Chancing to glance over her shoulder to where she would have fallen hadn't Leo been there, she breathes gratefully, "Thank you, Leo."

His grip on her slackens slightly making her heart leap back to her throat, but then she remembers, _'Leo wouldn't let me fall. I mean, he just caught me like, two seconds ago!'_

Poor Leo's knees had buckled at Rachel's proximity and her genuine thankful words reverberating through his head. _'What's the matter with you? Don't let your guard down!' _his brain screams at him, but he ignores it, allowing his mind to wander.

_ 'She's so incredible, I feel so much at once around her. Naturally, I make an idiot of myself when I'm with her all the time but she doesn't seem to mind, just laughs and gives me a peck or something. How did I get so lucky? She had so many choices that night we met, why'd she pick me? It makes no sense…"_

He only now realizes that she has her eyes completely focused on him and from just that look, he can tell she likes him, and it goes without saying that he feels just as strongly about her. The problem is it's so hard to find the courage, not to mention the words, to tell her. Rachel blinks suddenly and to Leo's disappointment slides out of his possession, continuing her climb. Leo releases a great gush of air, the moment to tell her gone by and follows her, the duo scaling the cliff slowly but surely.

When Leo finally has both feet firmly on the plateau, he lends his hands to Rachel to help with her last few steps. They look out at the beauty far below and beyond, breathing slightly labored from the climb. Searching for a sign of life, Rachel is oddly comforted that it seems she and Leo are the only two on earth. She wraps her arms around her body and hugs herself, then flings them out to catch the cool breeze, her long hair billowing away from her face.

Leo's eyes are fixed on her, the urge to tell Rachel how he feels nudging him. However, his pride forces his mouth to stay clamped shut. Rachel twists around to smile at Leo and feels the smile practically fall off her face, her arms dropping to her sides with a loud clap as she spots the conflict in Leo's dark eyes. Almost silently she pads over to him and slips her arms tightly around his body, resting her head on his shoulder with her eyes closed. His arms lay limp for a until an instinct kicks in and he hugs her about the waist, burying his nose into her hair to inhale the scent of her chestnut mane. In Leo's opinion, this is both the most frightening and amazing moment of his life. He just doesn't know which feeling to go with.

Vanessa releases a short sigh and mourns, "I can't even _practice_ my Martial arts anymore, there's no one to fight with. I used to have uncle Mortu and grandpa, but now there's nobody."

"Do ya wanna practice right now? 'Cause I'll go against ya if ya want," Raph volunteers willingly. Shaking her head, Vanessa replies, "That's really sweet Raph, but it doesn't seem right to show off in front of everybody."

Her excuse is weak. Casey and April are too absorbed in yet another disagreement to notice anything around them, Sam and Mikey are making sandcastles with concentration, and Lily is towing Don in the opposite direction along the shoreline. Grinning at Don's gift of charming girls without even trying, Mikey's immaturity, and Casey's inability to either win an argument against April or back down, Raph remarks, "I don't think that'll be a problem."

The sight of her amused smile transforming in mere seconds to a sad expression drives Raph to offer, "Master Splinter could be yer Sensei."

This thought hadn't ever crossed her mind, and she looks up at him asking, "Could he? I mean, if it wasn't a bother?"

"It won't be," he assures, giving her a kiss on the forehead as he pulls her to her feet. Taking in a deep breath, Vanessa frees her hands and strides purposefully over to Master Splinter, kneeling in front of him and distracting the man from the strange conversation between Sam and Mikey. Shyly Vanessa ducks her head and mumbles, "Splinter, I was wondering...could you t-teach me…teach me…" Damn, she can't even get the words out! Taking in a breath, Vanessa blurts, "Could you instruct me in ninjitsu?"

Her eyes are so hopeful and Splinter's not one to be cruel, but it's so hard to trust after fifteen years in the shadows because of this exact fear; the fear of their secret getting out. Of course, she was friends with the Utroms, yet that means nothing in the great scheme of things. Master Splinter is fully aware that the danger of the Foot and the Purple Dragons has been escalating lately, especially since that Foot ambush recently as well as the ninja searching the sewers yet again for their home, and knows that the girls will need to be enlightened eventually, perhaps even taught how to defend themselves. Giving Vanessa a chance seems the best solution, so he orders, "Spar with Raphael. I would like to evaluate your skills."

Vanessa looks a little nervous as she rises and dusts the sand from her legs, moving to stand across from Raph, now planted a few meters from her. A bit intimidated, she bows respectfully toward her opponent, straightening and taking a fighting stance, prepared for anything. As she predicted, he rushes in quickly to attack her only moments after he bows.

_ 'That is typical Raph,'_ Vanessa says to herself and awaits his assault calmly though she's not entirely sure she can block him. As his fist comes forward to hit her she takes the impact to her forearm, blocking the opposite as he throws another punch at her. Not too fazed, Raph tries to hit her in various places, sending his foot in randomly with moves that are bound to send anyone flying. But she just won't stay still! Dodging, ducking, blocking…it's impossible to hit her.

Now he's ticked. Chucking the idea of tiring Vanessa, Raph takes up the more accurate and effective approach. He feints to the left and tries to spin kick her across the face, yet with her fast reflexes Vanessa ducks the onslaught, then takes the plunge, hitting his abdomen with a powerful punch. Her fist makes him stagger back, and Raph promptly regains his balance, wincing slightly at the pain in his stomach.

Determination taking over, Raph lunges toward her, fist clenched so tightly that his knuckles blanch, and throws a perfectly aimed hit at her arm, following up with a sweep of the leg. To his dismay, Vanessa leaps over his leg and snatches his wrist, twisting it and flipping him over her shoulder. Landing hard on his back, Raphael growls and kicks up his legs to right himself. They circle each other for a few tense seconds with eyes locked until Vanessa charges in rapidly and attempts to hit him half a dozen times, denied each impact. Losing her patience, she does a round house kick sure to knock anyone off their feet. That is, anybody but Raph, who's ready. He gives her a wide berth, catching her leg in mid-attack and slams her body against the sand where she lands harshly on her side, hissing quietly in pain. Vanessa allows a grunt to pass her lips and twists her legs abruptly, knocking Raph onto his back as well. The loosening of Raph's grip on her ankle lets Vanessa wriggle out of his grasp. Vanessa readies to deliver a finishing blow but is tackled by Raph who presses her into the ground on her back. Squirming to free herself, Vanessa has to squint because of the sun to get a good look at his face, now covered completely by a smirk that claims he's the winner.

Set against permitting him victory, Vanessa turns over with all her might so that Raph is beneath her and uses her knees and elbows to effectively pin him to the sand. Putting all her strength into holding him, she doesn't notice the slight bend of his knee, which he uses to shove her off of him, getting to his feet. He eyes her, crouched low to the ground and ready to pounce. Raph assumes he's tired Vanessa and rushes in to finish the fight.

Once he is close enough to reach, Vanessa kicks her foot out like a flash and nails him in the chest. Raph falls backward forcefully and falls to the ground. He is about to lift himself up but Vanessa lands lightly on him, one foot pressing near his throat, the other crushing his arm. Breathing heavily, Raph says, "You won."

Hopping off of him, Vanessa lets him stand by himself and bows deeply to him, thinking it funny this is the third time she's knocked him off his feet today. _'No wait…fourth.'_

He bows back shallowly, disappointed he has been beaten by his girlfriend, but he hopes her performance has impressed his Sensei. Both heads turns sharply to the sound of Master Splinter's voice. "You have done well and fought honorably, Miss McMillan. I am very pleased that you wish to be my student, and I believe that you would be a great addition to our training sessions."

Absolutely beaming, Vanessa bows graciously in his direction, then lifting her head slings her arms around Raph's neck, burying her face in his neck and kissing him. A blush crawling over his cheeks, Raph waits embarrassedly until she releases him. Vanessa's face is flushed too, and he can't tell if it's from the exertion or something else.

Mikey and Sam sit together on the soft sand with wide eyes, surprised at the outcome of the brawl.

"Holy shoot," Sam breathes, unaware the tallest tower of her sand castle has crumbled. The only thing that sidetracks her from gaping at Vanessa and Raph is the glimpse she gets of a guitar case beneath April's resting arm. Ignoring the urge to yell, 'That's a musical instrument, _not_ an armrest!' Sam stands up and wanders over, asking, "Whose guitar?"

"It was my grandpa's. Thought I'd bring it ta see if anyone wanted ta play it," Casey replies casually with his arm around April's shoulder.

"May I?" Sam wonders, and he gives her a nod, insisting, "Knock yourself out."

She moves April's arm from the guitar case and opens it up, sliding her fingers gingerly down the strings as she absorbs its rich redwood stain and smoothly carved body. Sam lifts the guitar carefully from its case and placing it on her knee and presses her index, middle and ring fingers on a few of the stings in a chord, the instrument releasing a soft sigh as she runs her thumb across the strings.

"Hey, you're pretty good," Casey remarks. April bobs her head in agreement and asks, "Do you play?"

"I dabble," Sam responds lightly and moves her fingers expertly from chord to chord as she strums, humming quietly for a few moments before she adds, "I took lessons for a year, then I learned the rest from my Dad."

Mikey comes up behind her and smiles as the sound of her voice moving effortlessly through the song reaches his ears. He finds it impossible to tear his eyes away from her fingers dancing on the neck of the guitar along the shimmering strings confidently. He can tell that this is her element, she looks so comfortable. Sam changes to another more familiar song and Mikey begins to murmur it faintly along with her. Seeing the small crowd, Raph and Vanessa move closer to hear better, Vanessa grinning at Sam as she stares off toward the water, her eyes sparkling as she sings and plays her song.

As she watches the pair singing 'Wonderwall' sotto voice, Mikey's chin resting on Sam's shoulder, April's sisterly feelings toward Mikey make it so she can't help but think, _'Sam and Mikey look so __**cute **__together!'_

There's no doubt in April's mind that Sam is head over heels for Mikey, and if the day he came to her house to help out with the shop and ended up talking about Sam the whole time says anything, he's crazy about her. To be honest, April's truly relieved that each of the boys have found someone special. She prefers that to every single one of them mooning over her because she's one of the only girls they know and see more than once a month. It gets especially weird around their mating season. As her mind mulls over how it used to be, the memory of Raph kissing her full on the mouth one night when he came to help her with car trouble pops into her head without warning. April's eyes snap closed as she tries to erase the odd recollection from her mind, glad that those days are over.

Giving her head a jerk before she opens her eyes again, another smile creeps over April's face as her vision pinpoints on Raph with his arms wrapped protectively around Vanessa, the two looking on with amusement. _'What a big softie.'_

April is most impressed with Leo's progress, how his constant vigil over his brothers has gone from suffocating to comforting. Instead of watching and criticizing every single move his brothers make, he's off hiking with a girl he likes…_alone!_ Getting to Leo's heart is a feat in itself, let alone keeping him coming back for more. April cannot believe that Leo's so drawn in by a girl; he always seemed immune to hormones, though she felt a little weird around him at first. It was like he could see right through her. Talk about unnerving.

April frowns slightly at Don's recent jumpiness, as he flushes crimson any time Mikey or Raph makes a reference to Lily. Supposing it's only Don coping with his new relationship, April brushes it off as nothing to worry about, though resolves to keep a close eye on him.

_ 'They're just growing up so fast,'_ April says to herself, grinning as Vanessa bats Raph on the nose playfully and immediately hightails it. Raph follows close behind and Mikey decides it will be funny if he sticks his leg out and trips his brother. Then, Vanessa's not the only one being chased, both her and Mikey taunting and teasing Raph as the two ninja leap about, getting on his final nerve.

"You two are gonna get it when I catch either of ya alone," he threatens pointing a finger at them. A wicked grin spreading over his face, Mikey teases, "I know what that means for you, Nessa," winking at her and cackling loudly as Raph suddenly understands Mikey's implication. Vanessa laughs uproariously as Raph's face becomes fiery red, and she jokes, "I'll be looking forward to that, Raph."

Lily breathes in the ocean mist deeply with her eyes closed against the sunset that bursts forth with color. Her bare feet are licked at by the cool waves as she pads down the shore with Don by her side, her hand clasping his loosely. Don looks at her beautiful features, silhouetted by the blazing sun, her hair an organized mess of little blonde ringlets pulled together by elastic at the back of her head. Her pale skin tinted is pink across her shoulders, collarbone and cheeks from the sun, and her long slender nose turns up gently at the tip. The long lashes surrounding her emerald eyes fan out, and she has a relaxed, faint smile defining her mouth. When she senses Don watching, Lily opens her eyes and turns to look at him with a confused expression on her face. Her heart nearly skips a beat as a slow smile spreads his lips, Don's dark, curl framed eyes twinkling with a secret. Smiling uncertainly at the look on his face, Lily asks obliviously, "What?"

"Nothing," he replies, his huge brown eyes unwavering on her face.

"That 'nothing' didn't sound like nothing. Seriously, what?" she presses, stopping to show she's intent on getting an answer. He pushes the thick, damp chestnut curls from his eyes and replies simply, "I'm looking at the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"And what is that?" Lily inquires, fishing for compliments. The blush on her cheeks becomes even deeper and her face falls slightly as Don answers, "The sunset, it's incredible." Her disappointment tangible, Don smiles and finishes with a gentle voice, "Unfortunately for the sunset, you got in my line of vision and took its spot."

Lily's cheeks flush even deeper, though that's nearly impossible, and she looks down at her sandy feet saying, "Wow, I'm surprised I got that high on the list."

A softness in his voice rarely used, Don turns to face her completely and murmurs without even thinking, "Why are you so surprised? You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met."

Smiling even broader, Lily uses the hold she has on his hand and pulls him to her lips, her free hand moving up to cup the back of his neck gently. In an attempt to receive some more fervor on his part, she inhales a shallow breath, pressing her own body closer to his. Intimidated, Don releases himself and lets out a deep breath, eyes darting to the sand at their feet.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles guiltily at her disappointment, and is curious when she bends over to pick up something from the ground. Returning to an upright position, Lily grabs his hand and opens it to lay flat forcefully, placing a jade piece of sea glass atop his palm. He looks at it a moment before she replies, "It's okay."

His fingers close around it and he looks up at her, his apologetic smile showing his gratitude. She returns it brilliantly, then her expression becoming more mischievous, she giggles, "Race you back!"

They arrive at the beach blankets panting and act as if nothing happened, though they're asked many questions. The only way anyone could figure out anything is if they saw the piece of sea glass Don was clutching tightly in his hand.

Lifting his head to the darkening sky, Leo nudges Rachel and suggests, "We'd better get back to the beach, it's pretty late."

"Nooo," Rachel moans softly, snuggling into his chest. Leo rolls his eyes and jostles her again, insisting in a gentle voice, "Come on, let's go."

"Fine," Rachel sighs and lets go of him, trudging along behind him drowsily. They descend the large cliff face more quickly than they climbed it, the footholds and crevices easier to find than on the way up, and reach the ground in record time. The silence is practically deafening as they walk through the thick trees, surrounded by the foliage of deciduous trees, the needles of pine and spruce, and the chirping of crickets. Without taking her eyes from the break in the density of branches ahead of them, Rachel asks quietly, "How was that?"

Confused, Leo wonders, "How was what?". A little hurt by his answer, Rachel stops abruptly and demands with the sound of tears in her voice, "Were you not there for the last hour? Did you not feel it too?"

_ 'Nice going, stupid! Now that she's upset, how are you going to tell her how you feel?'_ his brain chides, and to save himself from a fight he really doesn't feel like having, Leo replies softly, "Of course I did. You were there with me."

Her shoulders relax in relief, and considerably satisfied, she continues to walk through the trunks, pushing branches from her face. It's a surprise when she feels him catch her by the wrist and pull her back to meet his lips, soft and warm against hers, holding on firmly. He doesn't want to let go, but he knows he'll have to sooner or later.

_ 'I pick later,'_ he resolves and kisses her more deeply. Rachel tumbles into his embrace, caught once again off guard by the mystery that is Leonardo. A fascinating creature indeed, and one she finds herself drawn to forcefully, something she doesn't know if she should be ecstatic or worried about. _'Only one way to find out, I guess,'_ she says to herself, and finally pulls back. Breathing in deeply, she manages to whisper, "That was…different."

Raising his eyebrow, Leo asks, "Was it a good 'different'?"

A smile creeping over her lips, Rachel replies, "Yes. Excellent, in fact."

Leo finds himself practically beaming to the compliment but noticing suddenly that the sky has become even darker, he says, "We'd better get a move on."

"Right," she agrees, and they jog back to the beach swiftly.

As two dark figures approach them, Mikey and Lily wave them over, Rachel and Leo overtaking the last sixty feet in less than seven seconds. They arrive panting and Rachel bends over to catch her breath, releasing a huge yawn behind her hand and rubbing at the crustiness of her eyes. Curious, Raph inquires casually, "What have you two been up ta?"

"Nothing," Rachel and Leo answer a little too quickly, although Rachel's grin and Leo's flush say otherwise. Once Rachel catches up to the other girls, Raph smirks at her back and nudges Leo, commending, "Nice goin', Fearless."

Shoving Raph lightly with his shoulder, Leo replies, "I don't know what you're talking about, Raph," and walks calmly past his brother. Raph rolls his eyes and shakes his head, laughing inwardly at his eldest brother's secrecy.

_Yay! Another chapter done!_

_Okay, only one more installment of the 'Vacation Series' as I call it to go, and then we're back to the real plot. I just wrote this because it was a chance for these characters to bond and for me to have fun with their hormones. Hehehe. So, Not much happened in this chapter, but at least they all got their couple moments! And guess what? There are more to come! Woot!_

_I thought that it was pretty funny that April was like their big sister in this chapter, crooning over how cute they are with their girlfriends and such. The only differences are that she's a completely different species, they're not blood related, and brothers usually don't kiss their sisters. Naughty Raphie!_

_So I guess that's all. _

_Okay, please review!_

_Peace,_

_The Light Of Reason_


	14. Tag

_Disclaimer: I am not the owner of the TMNT. I have every desire to be their creator; however they unfortunately belong to Eastman & Laird (or is it just Laird now? I forget…)_

_This is the final installment of the camping trip series. Just that much more closer to drama!!! Yessssss!_

_I guess I'll leave it at that, but must warn you: what you are about to read is not for those disgusted by spandex. Nuff said._

_ENJOY!!!!!! _:D

_PS-Last edited March 16__th__ 2010_

As he lays in the darkness on his back, eyes closed and body strangely tense, Raph has to wonder what time it is. It feels like he's been trying to fall asleep for hours, but it could hardly be forty minutes. His eyes have long since adjusted to the dark of the tent and he lifts his head to look at Leo's body sprawled out next to him, his brother's chest hopefully rising and falling, although it's impossible to tell when he sleeps on his front. Expecting to have his head torn off, Raph reaches out a hand and jiggles Leo's shoulder slightly. Nothing. Annoyed, Raph shakes his shoulder again, roughly this time, and he's surprised when Leo mumbles, "I'm awake, Raph," with his eyes still firmly shut.

"Oh. How come?" Raph wonders, knowing Leo is usually one early to bed and early to rise.

"You're so restless I haven't been able to fall asleep," Leo answers, a less than pleasant tone to his voice. Face becoming a grumpy scowl, Raph snaps back, "I can't sleep with this damn thing on," glaring at the molecular changer on his wrist with absolute loathing.

"Quiet, you'll wake Mikey and Don," Leo cautions, pointing to the other sleeping forms. Both leap practically two feet in the air when Mikey sits up suddenly, insisting cheerfully, "No worries, bro!"

"What 'bout Don?" Raph asks, all three turning their attention to the only one not suffering from insomnia. Mikey decides poking is the best way to see if Don's awake, so he gives his brother's arm a few jabs. A hand shoots out rapidly, enclosing Mikey's wrist, and Don reluctantly lifts his head from the pillow. Still sleepy eyed, Don grumbles, "Do that again if you have a death wish, Mike," the caffeine withdrawal taking its toll on his good humor. Stretching his arms above his head, Don gives a mighty yawn and settles himself into a cross legged position. Eyes focused on the huge yellow moon through the tent netting, the night calls to Leo and he asks in a whisper, "Anyone up for a swim?"

"Now you're talkin'!" Mikey crows, and he is immediately shushed, a frown taking over Mikey's smile. Hurt by the action, Mikey mutters loudly, "Gosh, why do you guys gotta be so cranky?"

"Because," Raph hisses, eyes flashing in the dark, "if ya don't shut yer trap for ten seconds, we won't be able ta take these molecular changers off while we swim. Got it?" Mikey's eyes widen in excitement at the prospect and he pumps his fists in the air in silent jubilation, almost taking the tent down his ecstasy. He receives yet another glare from his brothers and his arms fall to his sides, Mikey trying his best to be quiet lest he get left behind. Staying a little closer to his brothers in the darkness of the woods, Mikey almost screeches as he hears a loud snap of twigs behind him, grabbing Don's arm and squeaking in a panicked voice, "I heard something!"

"Afraid of the dark, Mike?" Raph taunts, smirking at his brother still clinging to Don. Mikey affirms his assumption with a nod. Voice a little gentler, Raph insists, "There's nothing in these woods scarier than Don right now, Mikey."

"You're right on that one, Raph," Don growls threateningly at the jibe, implanting fears of caffeine and its effects into all their minds and he sets off with Mikey in tow. Once they reach the lake, Leo searches around for good measure before taking off his shirt then his jeans, finally unfastening his molecular altering device. He didn't know he could miss his shell so much until now, and his sentiments are expressed in Mikey's breathed, "Finally," as the teen jumps into the cool water.

_ 'There's nothing following us, I was stupid for getting scared in the woods,"_ Mikey says to himself, dismissing his earlier suspicions as he submerges himself in the indigo water, a small array of stars winking down on him. Popping up with a loud splash, Mikey calls, "Surf's up, dudes!"

"At least it's not 'cowabunga'," Raph mumbles, wading into the water with Don and Leo not far behind. Diving under, Don finds Leo's ankle on the murky bottom, upending his older brother mercilessly. Raph and Mikey look on in awe at their usually mild mannered brother, his wickedness due to the fact the coffee maker wasn't considered a 'necessity'.

"Oh, I'm sorry Leo," he says with his voice dripping sarcasm, his grin evil. The eldest blinks at Don a few times before narrowing his eyes and lunging at Don who swims quickly away. In mid stroke, Leo's caught by Mikey and dragged under, spluttering as he comes up. The intelligent mutant smiles and dives under, disappearing in the dark water. He's about to sneak up on Raph when Leo beats him to it. Then it's full out war. They yell and laugh as they splash each other pitilessly.

Unknown to them, they're being watched. The second they slipped out of their tent, four spies pursued them like shadows, their only setback the miss step that cracked a twig loudly and scared Mikey out of his skin. To avoid another mistake like that one, they waited until the men were merely dark figures far ahead on the path before proceeding with extreme caution. By the time they reached the lake, the four they trailed were already in the middle of the water, shouting and slapping water at each other, their figures indistinguishable under the faint glow of the moon. They missed the transformation because of their minor flub, but it's better this way. Spotting the target, one of them reaches out and quickly grabs two shirts and a pair of jeans from a rock close to the tree obscuring them, another grabbing the rest of the boys' clothes. A third tosses four black garments on the tree stump to replace those they snatched. The fourth is about to grab the digital watches but thinking quickly the second one hisses, "No, don't take those! You'll be seen!"

Swiftly retracting their arm, the fourth turns to the others and they divide the clothes amongst themselves. Smile gleaming in the darkness, the fourth spy whispers, "They'll never know what hit them!" and they jog soundlessly back to camp with their trophies.

Just barely avoiding a wave of water created by Raph, Don glances to the shore and stops suddenly, seeing a rustle of branches though there's no wind. Dodging another splash, he says, "I saw something move." Leo looks to the shore, eyes searching for any movement. He can't see anything, but he senses a presence. Leo puts his finger to his lips and swims back to land, motioning for his brothers to follow him. Upon planting his feet on the shore, Leo sees nothing threatening, but he's still suspicious, scanning the area around him and squinting to see further. Raph shrugs his shoulders, taking Leo's alertness to be solely paranoia and makes to pick up his pants from a tree stump. He stops abruptly, not seeing anything but their molecular changers and four unfamiliar black pieces of fabric. Curious, he picks one up, his eyes widening in realization. Wondering why his brother looks a little greener than usual, Mikey picks one up. He immediately discovers why Raph looks like he's going to be sick and he complains childishly, "You've gotta be kidding me!"

Donatello examines the black spandex in mild interest, then fully comprehending what he's holding, Don wonders, "What are we going to do?"

Grimacing at the garments in disgust, Leo sighs and replies grudgingly, "We're going to have to wear these things back to camp."

"Why?!" Raph demands, holding his at arms length as if it's a dead animal.

"We can't very well go back to camp like this, can we?" Leo points out, tapping Raph's plastron with the back of his hand. Shaking his head as the many scenarios of what will happen when they return to camp cross his mind, Don groans, "They'll never let us live this down."

The four thieves stand strong in a pool of moonlight, waiting for their victims as they are basked in the glory of the moment. The four boys emerge from the woods shortly, each sporting their 'gifts': black Speedos, which they can surprisingly pull off. Rachel, the leader of their mission, smiles victoriously and takes in Leo's amazing physique, unable to pry her eyes from him. To stifle her giggles, Sam has to clap her hand over her mouth, and Lily presses her lips together firmly so she won't laugh. Arms folded tightly across his chest to cover as much as possible and make himself seem more intimidating, Leo chides, "That wasn't a very honorable way of stealing our clothes."

"I call it a way to spice up a road trip," Sam counters, smile broadening as Rachel says calmly, "You can't scare us, Leo."

"Besides, we left you your watches," Vanessa adds quite smugly, annoying all four of the boys further. If Vanessa hadn't left their watches, they would have been in an even worse predicament, and they know that; it's just irritating that she can use it against them.

Absolutely dying to know, Mikey demands, "How'd you know we were gonna go swimming?" Shifting Don's clothes in her arms, Lily replies smoothly, "You guys are too predictable; I knew you would most likely feel the impulse to go for a late night swim. It's based on statistics because men usually need to do _something_ on a camping trip that involves not being fully clothed, seeing that they're not in the city where people can actually see them."

Donatello doesn't know if he should be impressed that Lily thought everything through so much, or be ashamed that he didn't expect it. Patience running thin, Raph holds out his hand and orders, "Just give us back our clothes."

A smirk on her face as her eyes flit up and down his body, Vanessa says in a sultry voice, "You're going to have to catch me."

Like a flash she's turned and gone, bolting to the refuge of the thick trees behind her with his clothes bundled tightly in her arms. With a muttered, "Damn," Raph sets off after her, a grunt escaping his throat as he leaps over a tree stump. Taking her cue, Sam laughs and runs in a different direction around the tents and toward the tree line, Mikey following her immediately and closing in quickly. The distraction useful, Lily breezes right by Don and runs down the path leading to the lake. Don blinks as the gush of wind hits his face and empowered by his terrible mood he chases her in aggravation, not about to let Lily get away with it.

Sending Leo a wink, Rachel dashes to the trees at her right, Leo trailing not far behind her. Leo is faster despite the underbrush, but Rachel is able to dodge his hands. She ducks and turns to fit through thinner gaps, and after she evades his grasp for the fifth time, he exhales an irritated sigh, getting even closer. Practically feeling his breath on her neck, Rachel decides to stop this thing before it's even begun and directs her course to a low branch, knowing that with his height Leo will have to duck. He misses it as easily as only a ninja can but Rachel turns left suddenly, gaining a slim lead by slipping between some closely planted trees. Her lead grows considerably and she gains the courage and cheek to trail his jeans and shirt behind her like a pennant. Unfortunately, the belt loop of his pants catches onto an outstretched branch, sending them to the ground.

"Darn it!" she curses, but thanks her lucky stars that she still has his shirt. Knowing Leo, he will stop at almost nothing to get total and ultimate victory. It's simply the way Leo is. She's of course correct with her assumption; the moment his pants are all the way up to his hips and he's fastened them, Leo continues after Rachel in hot pursuit.

_ 'I'm not in the mood for this right now,'_ Don says to himself, though he isn't too worried. He's sure he'll get his clothes back…eventually. Noting that he's actually perspiring, Don has to wonder, _'Is it just me, or is she faster than she was during the race earlier? Was letting me pass her all part of her plan, or am I being crazy and blowing everything out of proportion? Am I dreaming all of this? I'm clearly going insane, bit by bit. They say that talking to yourself is one of the early signs of being mentally unstable, as well as forgetfulness, but I haven't forgotten anything, have I? Maybe I forgot something but I can't remember I forgot it and…GAH! Okay, I'm going to stop talking to myself. I just need sleep, that's all. I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy…'_

This mantra gets Don back on task and he realizes just how close he is to Lily. She darts her eyes over her shoulder and sees him closing the gap quickly, she looks around for something to use to her advantage. She picks a tree and puts her plan into action; grabbing its slender trunk as she draws near it, Lily swings herself around and resumes her run in the opposite direction, heading back to camp. Don heaves a fatigued sigh and follows her lead, executing the same move without losing any speed and keeps the chase, muttering something unpleasant beneath his breath.

Sam proves difficult to catch as she weaves through the trees gracefully like a white tailed deer, Mikey reaching out and missing her arm by a hair this time. Blinded by his frustration, he doesn't see the fallen branch on the forest floor and the usually agile ninja trips over it, his knees and palms breaking the fall. Now covered in damp earth and more determined than ever, Mikey decides it's time to even the playing field.

Raph searches stealthily for Vanessa in the dense trees, the turtle having lost her not too long ago. A rustle from above traps his attention and his head snaps up, the pale moonlight on what looks like skin catching his eye. Inhaling a deep, quiet breath he trails the figure overhead, the only thing on his mind his clothes as branches, needles and thorns scrape at his skin. Nothing can stop Raph as he stalks the equally skilled ninja in the dead of night; absolutely nothing.

Five minutes after the pants incident, Leo has lost Rachel and finally stops in his tracks, closing his eyes to block out everything but the sounds around him. The wind whistles through the leaves, the gentle question of an owl calls out in the thick forest, and then the sound of heavy breathing reaches his ears from somewhere to his left. He goes into invisibility mode, climbing up a tall leaf decked tree to gain the upper hand, and peers down into the darkness below. There he sees Rachel, her back flattened against a tree trunk as she tries to regain her breath and strategize, heart pounding madly. Cat-like, Leo leaps down from the branch where he perches and grabs her by the biceps as he lands softly. Rachel releases a shriek in surprise, the piercing sound dying in her throat as her eyes adjust to the dark and sees Leo's familiar face. Smiling, she compliments, "Nice work," trying her best to sound casual after her scare. Taking the shirt she offers, Leo breathes, "Thanks," pulling it over his head. As she gulps the sharp night air in, Rachel asks, "Was that fun?"

"Surprisingly, yes," Leo answers, running a hand through his hair and making it stick up. Rachel giggles and reaches up, pressing down his dark tufts of hair, agreeing, "I thought so, too."

They stand there for a few more moments before Leo asks, "What now?"

Looking thoughtful, Rachel finally replies, "Now we go back to camp and sleep. I'm beat." Rachel starts off toward where she thinks the tents are, but is stopped when Leo's fingers close around her wrist. Pulling Rachel in the opposite direction, he says quietly, "Camp is _this_ way." To cover up her mistake, Rachel mumbles, "Oh," as if she's not embarrassed and follows him without question. Night noises buzz around their ears until Rachel demands, "How'd you _do_ that?"

"Do what?" Leo counters, stepping around a mossy rock that sits in their path. As she pushes a cobweb from her face, Rachel specifies, "How'd you climb the tree and jump down so quietly?"

"Oh, _that_," he mutters. Leo thinks about his response for a moment before replying as honestly as possible on the subject, "Just a lot of practice."

"Huh," Rachel comments, if you can really call that a comment. Leo smiles a little, asking, "How did _you_ learn how to scream like that?"

Rachel chuckles, and lowering her voice slightly, she imitates him beautifully, "Just a lot of practice. My dad and brother used to think it was funny to sneak up on me and snatch me by the shoulders." Seeing Leo's smile grow, she insists seriously, "It _wasn't_ funny."

"I'm sure it wasn't," Leo manages to reply between laughs, Rachel punching his arm gently. The smile stays plastered on his face even after he stops laughing, yet he manages to look more somber as he asks, "What's your brother's name?"

Eyes trained to her toes, Rachel responds quietly after a short pause, "Jordan."

Leo takes that as the closing of their conversation and risks peeking at Rachel from the corner of his eye, an emotionless mask in place of her face. Rachel's indifference doesn't fool Leo, but what should he say? 'Your brother's a jerk?' 'Give him another chance?' 'Forget about him?' None of them fit what he means to say, so he opts to put his arm around her shoulders gently instead of saying something that sounds rehearsed or insincere. Rachel smiles to herself and muses, _'What a sweetheart.'_

Sam pads cautiously through the woods, keeping an eye out for any sign of Mikey so she can get a head start. The boy is _fast_! Although Sam's on high alert, she fails to notice Mikey crouched down behind some thick bushes, waiting oh so patiently for her. Mikey takes a fleeting glance from around his bush and sees Sam not far away, her back to his hiding place. He hears Sam take one step toward him, two, three, four. Her breathing is now loud and he's sure she's right there. Mikey hops up and turns to face her, grabbing her by what he thinks are her shoulders, although they feel unnaturally soft. Grinning broadly, he crows "Gotcha!" His smile disappears when he discovers that he's not holding Sam by her shoulders. In truth, he's clutching the sides of her breasts.

Petrified, Mikey can't move, let alone speak, but his brain certainly can as it yells, _'Idiot! You don't grab a girl by her boobs until you're an official couple, doofus!' _Just as shocked as Mikey is that he caught her in mid stretch, Sam recovers quickly and raises her eyebrow, teasing, "And you said _I_ wasn't playing fair."

Mikey chuckles nervously and his hands drop to his sides, his blush detected even in the dark. Handing him his garments with flourish, Sam says grandly, "Your clothes." Mikey pulls his shirt over his head and orders, "Close your eyes." He's grateful to be distracted from his mortification for at least a few seconds as he tugs his shirt all the way on, but notices that Sam's peeking at him between her fingers.

"I said no looking," he scolds, although he's laughing, and he reaches over to shield her eyes with one hand, sliding on his jeans with the other. Leaving his hand where it is, Mikey moves forward slowly and closes the space between them.

"What are you doing, Mikey?" Sam asks worriedly, expecting a face full of leaves any second now. She is stunned into silence as he presses his lips gently to hers before she can say another word, the kiss lasting only a few seconds. It is powerful and leaves her heart hammering, Sam smiling as Mikey lifts his hand from her eyes. He cups her cheek and their lips are about to meet again when a loud scream sounds from another part of the woods. Mikey practically jumps into Sam's arms and her head snaps up in surprise. The noise resonates in the trees a few moments longer as they exchange a look. "I think Leo found Rachel," Sam remarks, pecking Mikey on the lips one last time before she pulls him in the direction of where they came from.

Vanessa travels swiftly and inaudibly through the treetops, glancing down every few seconds to make sure Raph is still on the ground behind her. She squints to see more clearly, not sure if she's looking at a patch of light on Raph's hair or some moonlight illuminated bark. Dropping to the ground with a faint thump, she glances about herself for safety and moves in for a closer look.

She searches in vain, as Raph is squatting in a nearby tree, waiting for her. Once she is upon the ground, he jumps down noiselessly, sneaking up on her and seizing her from behind. Vanessa starts violently and twists around, exhaling her breath in relief when she makes out his face in the midnight light.

"You have to stop doing that," she whispers, smacking his chest playfully.

"You have ta stop stealin' my pants," Raph retorts, taking back what is rightfully his. She looks a little reluctant, but her attention is diverted as she catches a glimpse of one of the larger cuts on his arm. Fingering it delicately, Vanessa asks in concern, "What happened to your arm?"

"Thorns," he replies gruffly, tugging on his jeans. Her smile sympathetic, she kisses it chastely, asking, "Does that make it better?"

"I didn't need that, I ain't a kid," Raph grumbles, though he secretly liked it.

"Says you," Vanessa teases, bumping him with her hip and grinning at him brilliantly. Raph allows himself to smile too and nudges her back, asking, "You inta younger men?"

"Of course I am," she replies sarcastically, hooking her arm through his. They take three steps before Raph realizes that he doesn't have his shirt anymore. He looks at the ground surrounding them and then his eyes move to Vanessa, who avoids his gaze and holds her free hand behind her back. Under his suspicious look, she smiles sheepishly and defends herself with flattery. "You're pretty."

Raph rolls his eyes and reaches around her body, taking his shirt back. Instead of pulling his shirt on, he wraps his arm around Vanessa's waist and the pair head back toward camp for a good night's sleep.

Donatello has closed in on his prey, almost close enough to catch Lily by the elbow. The clearing up ahead with the tents pitched up is welcoming to Lily and she feels a sense of relief flood her, her pursuer tiring. When Lily breaks through the trees, the wind is knocked out of her as a pair of muscular arms wind around her middle, swinging her in a full circle before they place her feet on the ground. Gasping for air, Lily turns her head to look over her shoulder at Don's face; and what a triumphant face it is. After a brief moment he releases her, his clothes shoved into his arms as Lily bends over to breathe easier. Don's like a flash as he pulls on his clothes, trying to cover as much as possible with a girl in his company. Lily is confused that he's so insecure about his body, because let's face it: He's attractive.

"Don," she begins carefully, gaining his attention before she continues, "I don't want you to feel awkward around me. I know this isn't a very good example seeing as about two seconds ago you were half naked, but what I mean is you don't have to feel weird when I'm with you. If I make you uncomfortable, you can just tell me."

"That's not it," he contradicts, and knowing his explanation may take a little while, he sits down, motioning for her to join him. Lily kneels next to him and waits for him to speak, his nervousness tangible.

_ 'Alright, I guess now's as good a time as any to tell her…'_ Don says to himself, taking a deep breath before plunging in, "This is really new to me. I've never been in a real relationship with a girl. In fact, I've actually never kissed a girl before—"

"Aw, that's so cute!" Lily coos, the words out of her mouth before she even thinks about what she's saying.

_ 'Oops,'_ she says to herself, feeling responsible for how Don seems to deflate a bit. Giving her next phrase more thought, Lily corrects herself reproachfully, "I haven't been in many relationships either, but I thought that's because all the guys who went to my High School weren't looking for more than a night."

Shrugging, Don concludes, "That's their loss."

_ 'And my gain,' _he says to himself. Surprised at his own possessiveness, Don shoves that thought away. To change the subject, Lily asks, "What university do you go to?"

Putting his brains to work, he replies carefully, "I actually don't go to university right now, but I've sent applications to some different places like UNYC, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, places like that. I'm on a waiting list, so in the mean time, I've been holding down a job in IT tech."

It's not _technically _a lie. He does want to go to those universities. Like it's his fault they don't let giant mutant turtles in. Besides, he _is_ on the waiting list at five of the many schools he's applied for on a whim.

"Really? That's cool. I go to the UNYC, and I take evening shifts as a waitress to earn extra money," Lily replies guardedly, though she leaves a factor of the equation. The biggest one of all, the very reason she has no choice but to work as a waitress to make ends meet. _'He wouldn't understand,'_ Lily tells herself, though the guilt still sits in the pit of her stomach, twisting the knot tighter in her abdomen.

"What're you brainiacs doin'?"

They jump at the sound of Raphael's voice and create an enormous gap between themselves, looking warily between the six towering over them. Swallowing to stall and regain her voice, Lily answers truthfully, "We were just talking about universities."

"Riiight_,_" Sam scoffs. Desperate to change the subject, Lily blurts, "I see you guys got your clothes back. That's…nice." It's entertaining to see Don and Lily try to make everyone believe they were having an innocent chat. None of them buys it. Stretching more dramatically than necessary, Don yawns and announces, "Well, I'm going to bed."

"Me too," Lily concurs a smite too quickly and she escapes to the tent. Rachel, Sam and Vanessa exchange smirks and follow her into the tent with only one thought on their minds.

"So?" Vanessa pries, leaving the unsaid to hang in the air with satisfying results. Lily licks her lips and counters in a voice between carelessness and anxiety, "'So' what?" straightening the wrinkles from her pajamas absentmindedly. Rachel snorts at Lily trying to be nonchalant and insists, "Don't give us that, Lily!" Sam takes a stab, urging, "We want to hear _all_ the juicy details."

With an attempt at an apathetic shrug, Lily states, "There aren't any juicy details. We were talking about universities, like I said earlier. Don and I aren't very physical."

"You fell asleep in his lap during the campfire," Rachel points out and Lily flushes vibrantly, stuttering, "I-I was tired."

"So was I, but I didn't sleep on Mikey, and I know how comfy his lap is," Sam taunts, smiling impishly at Lily. Sighing, Lily rubs at her eyes tiredly and surrenders as she snuggles down into her cocoon, "Think what you like. I'm going to sleep."

"'Night, Lily," Vanessa mumbles and they all pass out in their sleeping bags, visions of beautiful eyes, trees, running and kisses dancing in their heads.

"Seriously bro, what were ya doin'?" Raph presses, a smirk on his face. Don has learned from past experience that he doesn't like his brothers getting into his business, and he hates being grilled; especially about Lily, an incessant cause of embarrassment. Heaving an annoyed sigh, he repeats, "For the last time, we were discussing universities."

"What, the University of L.O.V.E?" Mikey taunts and Raph snickers at his joke. Cheeks becoming hot, Don snaps, "You're one to laugh, Raph. At least _I'm_ wearing a shirt."

Raphael crosses his arms over his chest and mutters, "Yeah, but I didn't get any unlike _you_."

Fully exasperated, Don shakes his head and throws his hands in the air as he claims, "I don't have to listen to this." As Don turns to enter the tent, he accidentally bumps into his father. The rat stands with his whiskers twitching in his irritation with both his sons and his molecular changer, the device now held firmly in his paw.

"Busted," Mikey groans, running a hand over his face. Ashamed of being caught, Leo apologizes, "Sorry, Sensei. We were just going to bed…"

Splinter's all knowing glare penetrates the cerebrum of each teen, then exhaling and massaging his temples to ward off the oncoming headache, he orders, "Get to bed now. We will resume this conversation once we return to the lair. I believe thirty back flips would be a good start?"

"Yes, Master," the boys chorus.

_What was going through my mind when I was writing this? I have no idea…_

_Okay, this was a very interesting concept, wasn't it? I could see this happening when you put together four teenage boys and four girls on a camping trip with not too many chaperones. It was entertaining to write, at least!_

_I had much fun…hehehe, they were wearing Speedos. I'm so evil. Out of all of them, the funniest had to be Mikey! I'm really mean to him throughout, but that's okay considering he gets a consolation prize! And Donnie. Poor, poor Donnie. I couldn't resist making the moment awkward for him, especially with his brothers so irritated, tired, and Leo's grudge still fresh. I'm going to be punished for this, I know it._

_This is the final installment of the Super Dooper Weekend Campout of Fun!!! It's really called that…anyway, now it's time to move on to some big stuff. In fact, Don set you up for it. He was really going to tell Lily everything about him being a turtle, but at the last second she changed the subject and he just couldn't do it. Sigh._

_Thanks for reading, sorry about the late update but my brain hates me and procrastination is my curse. _

_Please review!_

_P.S-If you guys have any questions you would like to ask the TMNT, feel free! Send it to me via review, e-mail, message, etc-it's all for a new fic that's in the works. All I need is YOUR HELP! So please, send any question no matter how random and have a great (__**insert time of day here**__). Bye!!!!!!!_

_P.P.S- Inappropriate questions are welcome. _


	15. How To End One Conflict & Start Another

_Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles, but I own my OC's Vanessa, Sam, Lily and Rachel. Even though I don't own the turtles, I'm going to be optimistic; I'm going to say I don't own them __**yet**__. See the difference?_

_Alright, I'll give you the run down. It's been, oh, let's just say a little under two weeks, and it's time for the frivolous, bubbly stuff to cease and desist. Now, it's time for big stuff to go down, discoveries to be made, people to be heartbroken. It's the right moment. And what a moment it will be for these guys who've had basically nothing but bliss for less than three months. Beautiful girls, karaoke, midnight runs, kisses…what more can I give them besides strife now? The only one who'll be unaffected is Vanessa, the girl already knows Raph's little secret._

_I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and feel free to let your emotions run wild and free in your reviews, I need feedback. I want this story to make people feel._

_Have fun reading! _:D

_PS-I do not own the phrase on Leo's mug. It's an old Japanese proverb._

_PPS-"Priculosus Mens" translates to "Dangerous Minds"._

_AN: This chapter was last edited March 16, 2010_

Leonardo frowns in his meditative state. He just can't get Rachel off his mind. Losing all focus, he stands erectly, and slaps his numb legs as he wanders into the kitchen. The smell of something mildly edible fills his nostrils as he enters, Mikey keeping vigil over whatever's in the frying pan. At the table, Raph is slumped sluggishly forward, rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes as he dumps half of the milk into his bowl of corn pops. Don nurses a steaming cup of coffee with a Latin language book open in front of him. A regular morning.

_ 'I don't understand why she's been so short and quiet around me,' _Leo frets, pouring tea into his chipped tan mug with the phrase, 'Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare,' printed on it in blue ink. In sheer desperation, Leo decides to tell his brothers his girl troubles. After his short explanation, they agree from his description that Rachel's acting very much like another Leo. Except of course she's less bossy, not so much of a perfectionist, and isn't married to ninjitsu. A little irritated at his brother's jibes, Leo asks, "Now that we've established how much you enjoy making fun of me, what do you think is _wrong_?"

"Maybe it's PMS," Mikey suggests, then his eyes widening he exclaims, "Or she could be pregnant!"

Leo gives him a horrified look and Raph smacks Mikey in the back of the head, wondering, "Maybe she's just not all that satisfied with Fearless and wants to let him down gently?"

"Ha ha. _Very _funny," Leo mutters, though his tone emphasizes that it's obviously not amusing to him. Donatello thankfully comes up with some sound advice, saying, "You won't really know what's up until you talk to her. Go to her apartment, it'll make her feel you really care if you do it in person."

"Hahahahahahaha! You just said _do it_," Mikey cackles, and Don groans, burying his nose in _Periculosus Mens_.

Rachel's lips turn down in confusion as a tentative knock sounds on the door. She didn't expect company, but not wanting to seem rude she hurries to get it, surprised when she sees a dripping wet Leo on her doorstep. A smile works its way over her face as she greets, "Hey, Leo."

"Can I come in?" he asks, brushing raindrops from his brow. Stepping back, she allows him to pass, Leo stripping off his sopping wet shoes and soaked socks immediately. Rachel grabs a dry towel from the laundry basket and lays it over the couch as Leo peels off his black jacket, his shirt clinging tightly to his body. She averts her eyes, knowing that Leo isn't fond of people eyeing him, and motions for him to sit on the covered couch. Leo takes a seat and begins in a business like tone, "I need to talk to you about something. You've been acting…unlike yourself lately."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Rachel stutters with her arms folded over her chest, but the way Leo looks at her shows that he's not going to believe it. She chews at her bottom lip nervously, her eyes glued to the floor even as he murmurs softly, "Come on, Rachel. Tell me what's wrong."

Convinced by the earnestness of his request, she replies, "I haven't been like I usually am because…you seem a little bit guarded and serious around me, and I don't know if you…like me…"

_ 'Like you?! I __**love**__ you!'_ Leo feels the need to shout, but he pushes it down, answering softly, "I like you, Rachel. I like you a lot."

"Then why do you seem like you're always keeping things from me? You start a sentence then change it at the last second! Why do you feel you need to hide things from me?" she demands and turns her back to him. It's all out in the open now; Leo just has to decide if he'll give Rachel the whole truth, or half of it. Releasing a sigh, Leo stands up and places his hand on Rachel shoulder, trying to catch her eye. He looks at his watch and confesses, "Because I couldn't trust; but now, I think it's a good time to tell you the truth.

_ 'Oh God…he's either going to say that he's an escaped criminal or that he's gay and in love with the guy at the video store and wants to run away with him to Cancun to get eloped,' _Rachel muses, bracing herself for the emotional blow. She's a little confused when Leo unfastens his watch, but is completely thrown for a loop when he changes into _a giant turtle_.

Rachel's breathing becomes panicked and Leo readies himself for an ear splitting scream, admonishing himself for not warning her. Her mouth opens and she is about to let loose a shriek when she is distracted by his familiar brown eyes, noticing for the first time that they're flecked with an interesting green tinted gold. They're secure and make her feel safe, though just a moment before she was going to screech in fright. With a trembling hand she reaches out to touch his hand, not even flinching when her fingers close around its rough, calloused skin. All she can do is offer Leo a small smile as she remarks, "I always thought you looked good in green," caressing his knuckles with her thumb.

Glad that she's not hyperventilating, Leo relaxes, yet can't shake the feeling that she's taking it much too well. Then he assumes she'll go into denial in the morning, but that's okay; he's way too tired to deal with her fainting or screaming or throwing a lamp at his head. Leading her to the couch like a small child, he asks, "Do you want to know the whole story?"

"There's more?" she asks curiously. Leo laughs quietly at her as she examines him further. His muscles are extremely toned from his vigorous training, and his gorgeous brown eyes are accentuated by the vibrant blue of his mask. She discerns the intricate patterns of his shell and can't help but reach out and trace her finger along the tiny, delicate lines, breathing, "Wow," and making him chuckle again.

After an explanation interrupted many times by questions and recaps, Rachel is ready to accept that Leo's not playing a joke on her. They let their silence hang in the air mockingly before Leo sighs and mumbles, "I guess that if you don't feel the same way about me, we could be friends, right?"

"What do you mean by that?" Rachel demands, confused until she sees the answer in his eyes. She's surprised that Leo would underestimate her and wraps her arms around his shoulders, whispering in his ear, "It makes absolutely no difference to me what you look like. You will still be Leo and nothing can change that."

This puts an elated smile on his face, and he leans in to kiss her, stopping abruptly when he says to himself, _'It's too much to handle for one night.'_

Once again, Rachel reads his mind, and grinning she kisses him gently. Leo almost jolts backward, opting instead to put his hands on her waist, pushing his lips against hers a bit more forcefully. She sighs and leans back on the couch, Leo surprised and unnerved that he's on top of her for a second, until she squeezes his hand in a way that assures him that it's alright.

_ 'I like the way she thinks,'_ he finds himself admitting, but he pushes that down and holds her lips only a second longer, finally letting go. Breathing raggedly, Rachel looks up at him and asks, "So, what will you tell your brothers if they ask what happened?"

"I'll tell them the truth," he replies, and Rachel narrows her eyes at him for being like all men the second they get some action. She can't maintain her harsh glare when Leo finishes, "I'll tell them we talked about the weather."

"But we've said nothing about the weather," she points out. "That would be a lie."

"It's lovely weather we're having," Leo comments, pecking her on the lips, and she giggles. "Now we have."

Donatello's knuckles pale as he clutches his shell cell in a vice grip, debating whether to call Lily. His thumb hovers deliberately over the number six speed dial, but he changes his mind, about to snap the phone shut when from behind him, Mikey asks, "Whatcha doin'?"

The sudden presence of his brother makes him jump, and Don's thumb unintentionally hits the button. It rings once, and before he can turn the phone off, a familiar voice answers.

"Hello?"

Swallowing hard, Don brings the phone to his ear, squeaking, "Hi."

"Don?" Lily asks uncertainly and he nods, answering, "Yeah," when he realizes she can't see him. There's an awkward pause until Lily ventures, "Um, did you need something, Don? Did you forget—"

"Meet me at my apartment," he blurts, about ready to hit himself for always being so stupid when he talks to Lily on the phone. _'I can handle the idiotic people who call for computer help, but I can't get out a single sentence when I'm talking to Lily! What is my problem?'_

"Sorry Don, I can't. I'm looking after Grace. She's asleep, so you could come over and we could talk if you'd like," she suggests. Don considers this and says to himself, _'It's not exactly what I had in mind, but it will have to do. I can't lie anymore.'_

"Sure, I'll be there in a flash," Don answers, ready to hang up and bolt out the door.

"Seriously, is there something wrong, Don?" Lily asks, worried about his strange behavior. Don doesn't feel okay, but he replies hastily, "I'm fine. Really, Lily. I'll see you there."

"Okay, bye," she manages to bid before Don snaps his phone closed. Grabbing his molecular changer from its place on his desk, he straps it on and snags a coat from the arm chair in the corner of his room. Brow furrowed in confusion, Mikey wonders aloud, "What was that about?"

Tugging his shirt sharply to straighten out the wrinkles, Don answers lightly, "Nothing. Listen Mikey, I need you to cover for me if Leo or Master Splinter ask about me while I'm at Li-…out. Okay?"

Mikey nods, encouraging, "Go get her, tiger."

Don rolls his eyes at Mikey but smiles, giving him a shoulder squeeze before he exits the lair in search of an opening to the world above in the sewer tunnels.

Lily hears the light tap on the door and hurries to answer it, seeing Donatello directly in front of her in a wet blue raincoat. Smiling sweetly, Lily says in a low voice, "Hi."

"Hey," he replies shortly, pulling off his jacket quickly on the welcome mat. Lily furrows her brow as she notices how tense he is, and can't help but ask, "Are you _sure_ you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he repeats, and he takes her hand, steering her toward the middle of the living room. He positions her in front of the couch, a soft landing in case she faints. Returning to the center of the room, he faces her fully and asks, "Are you ready?"

"For what?" Lily demands, her curiosity taking over.

"Just say you're ready."

"Alright, I'm ready."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Yes."

"I mean really, if you're not ready—"

_ "Will you just tell me what I'm supposed to be ready for?"_

"Okay," Don says, and makes to take off his watch. He stops and orders, "Don't blink," before he unfastens it and slips the molecular changer off his wrist. Lily simply stares at him with her mouth agape, unable to say a word in her state of shock. Don waits for the thud of her unconscious body hitting the floor, and is surprised when Lily moves forward, inspecting him thoroughly with her eyes. She circles him twice, then comes in closer, murmuring, "Incredible."

He assumes she's talking about him until she reaches out for the molecular altering device which he hands to her willingly. Turning it over and running her finger over the metal plating in the back, Lily asks, "Does it manipulate light particles by the use of a laser and an electromagnet to cast an illusion of sight and use sonic waves to alter how the body feels?"

Don blinks in surprise and stammers, "Y-yes. How did you know that?"

"A guess," she answers, and asks as she holds it gingerly, "Did you build this?"

"Yeah. My brothers and I needed something to get us topside without causing a lot of commotion," he replies, chuckling lightly. Lily looks up at him with her features newly brightened by a smile and she says, "I don't know why people would be scared, you look cute."

A blush colors his cheeks gently, but he still looks a little uncertain. Her smile fading, she fully understands what he's thinking.

"Donatello I'm not like them. Just because you're…not human, doesn't mean that I don't see you the same way. You will always be the guy I fell for, no matter what," she confirms, kissing his cheek softly. She didn't even think about it, she just kissed him, and this surprises Don. Any normal girl would try not to touch him after this kind of surprise. He smiles and kisses her back, this time on the lips. Lily sits down on the couch and guides him to sit right beside her, hugging him a little closer. He lets a tiny groan slip out accidentally, and Lily hastily lets go, whispering, "Shh, Grace is sleeping in her room, and the walls aren't very thick. You can hear the coffeemaker from my room, and that's with the bathroom and Grace's room between them."

"Sorry," Don murmurs, giving her another kiss. Unable to contain her curiosity, Lily finally asks, "How do you live in New York without being seen? Your apartment is on a busy street."

Looking a little sheepish, he answers, "Actually, that's not our apartment. My brothers and Master Splinter and I live in the…sewers."

"Really?" Lily asks, wondering if he's joking. Visibly embarrassed, Don nods. Smiling at him, she notes, "That's funny. I think you smell good; nothing like a sewer."

"We avoid the high traffic areas," he replies, sparing her the disgusting details. Lily stifles a laugh so as not to wake Grace, but he feels her abdomen shake against his plastron. He's glad she has a sense of humor. Don gives her another long kiss, pushing her backward onto the couch cushion, but suddenly jerks away, whispering against her lips, "She's awake," and disappears beneath the table seconds later. Lily doesn't need to be told who 'she' is, and though she's disappointed Don let go, she smiles at Grace and asks, "Why're you still up?"

"I couldn't sleep," Grace replies as she rubs at her eyes, then adds bemusedly, "and I heard voices."

"That was just the TV," Lily lies smoothly, noticing that the remote control is atop the counter seven feet away. Hoping Grace isn't awake enough to see that, she wonders aloud, "Got a lot on your mind?

"Yeah," Grace answers, taking a seat on the arm of the chair opposite Lily. Running a hand over her face, Grace begins, "There's this guy in my class…"

That's all it takes for Lily to figure out exactly what's going on, but she keeps quiet, letting Grace tell her story without interruptions. "…he's my closest guy friend, but sometimes he acts weird around me and tries to chat up other girls when I'm with him. It's almost as if he expects me to become jealous of any girl he talks to! He gets especially frosty when I talk to other guys. It's bothering me because Josh is my friend and it's awkward now."

"Mm," Lily says thoughtfully, then asks, "has he told you that he likes you?"

"He doesn't have to, it's so obvious!" Grace exclaims as she stands and throws her hands in the air, flopping forward next to her sister on the couch with her forehead on the back of it. Releasing a small chuckle, Lily advises, "Just ask him what's going on. Maybe he'll tell you and then you won't have to embarrass him by letting him know that you know."

Grace groans loudly into the brown upholstery then finally lifts her head, grumbling, "Guys are stupid," and setting her cheek on the place her head was a moment before.

"They say the exact same thing about us," Lily assures her, brushing a flyaway from Grace's eyes. The information isn't very useful, but it does make Grace laugh before she asks, "Has anything like this ever happened to you?"

"Oh yeah," Lily replies, shaking her head as she remembers grade nine. Intrigued, Grace asks, "What happened? Who was it?"

Glancing over at the table for a few seconds, Lily sighs and admits, "In ninth grade I had this friend. He was smart, funny and shared my passion for old movies. I was convinced that he liked me just as much as I liked him, so I asked him to winter formal. It turns out that I was right behind Yolanda Jameson, his very beautiful, very smart junior girlfriend."

"Aww!" Grace cries, then asks again, "Who was he? _Please_ tell me, I _promise_ I'll try not to laugh."

"That's reassuring," Lily mutters sarcastically, but her stronghold is broken down by those big green eyes staring right back at her. She could never master that look, but Grace has it down perfectly, and it works so well! The child could get away with murder when she was younger.

"It was…Drew Parker."

"_No way_!" Grace cackles and falls off of the couch in her laughing fit. Cheeks becoming hot, Lily defends, "He was cute and had a 97.5 average!"

"But h-he w…was such a…a loser!" she gasps between giggles, wiping the tears from her eyes. Lily regrets telling Grace this story, wondering if the meaning of the tale flew out of Grace's mind when she had her laughing fit. Hiccupping into submission, Grace finally says, "Thanks for talking with me. I'm gonna go to bed. 'Night."

"Goodnight Grace," Lily whispers, giving her a hug before she pads down the hall to her room, closing the door behind her. The moment the door is closed over, Lily feels a pair of hands land gently on her shoulders and cool breath on the back of her neck. In a low voice Don remarks, "You're good at that. She seems to like talking to you."

"For once," Lily adds, sighing and brushing a strand of hair from her face. Don smiles and asks, "So…who was this Drew guy? Should I worry?"

She snorts and jokes, "Only if he moves back here from Japan. He's into the gaming industry now. I guess he _was_ a bit of a geek…but hey, look at you."

"The luckiest geek this side of the universe," Don agrees, laughing quietly. They stay like that for a few minutes until Don murmurs, "I have to go. It's getting late, and you don't want your parents walking in on me."

_ 'That's what you get for not telling him,'_ Lily admonishes herself, but she replies lightly, "Right. Goodnight, Don."

He leans down and kisses her forehead softly then vanishes into the night through the window. She releases a deep sigh and rubs at her tired eyes, regretting not telling him about her parents earlier. It will be even more difficult now, especially since he revealed a huge secret to her that completely outweighs her story. Getting up tiredly, Lily turns off the lamp and wanders down to her room, changing into a warm pair of pajamas and snuggling down under her covers. She sighs and says to herself, _'I'll get no sleep tonight.'_

Mikey paces the area in front of the TVs as Leo arrives home. Concerned, Leo asks, "What's up, Mike?" hoping that it's not about Mikey losing a video game. The last time that happened, Mikey was practically bawling into his shoulder. Seeming to snap out of a trance, Mikey digests the question before answering, "Sam just called and asked me if I could help her organize her CDs. Her parents aren't home, and I was…thinking about doing it."

Eyes expanding and a sickening feeling washing over him, Leo cries, "_Are you crazy, Mikey?!_ Do you _know _what could happen if she gets pregnant and the baby comes out part turtle?"

Entirely confused, Mikey raises an eye ridge at his visibly shaken brother. He has no clue what Leo's talking about until he reviews the last part of his sentence. Quick to put his brother's already high strung nerves at rest, Mikey replies, "I didn't mean _that_ "it". I meant telling her I'm a gigantic mutated reptilian ninja. And you say _I'm_ sick minded…"

Falling backward onto the couch in relief, Leo regains his composure and says, "It's up to you Mikey, but it might be a good idea to tell her now rather than later."

Mikey stops his frenzied pacing to stare at his brother, gob smacked that Leo agrees with his idea. He has to wonder what Rachel's done to his brother. He must have got something tonight. Strapping on his molecular changer decidedly, Mikey says, "Thanks, Leo," and gives his big brother a hug. Leo pats Mikey's shell awkwardly and replies, "Don't mention it, Mike."

With that Mikey leaps the small set of stairs closest to them and heads off to the surface to see Sam. Leo can't help but smile a little and heads off to make tea.

The strange pattern of knocks on her door rouses Sam from her seat at the island in the kitchen of her family apartment. She knows it's Mikey and pauses to fluff her hair at the mirror beside the open closet before she opens the door.

"Hey, babe."

"Hi sunshinedust!" Mikey frowns slightly as Sam grins and he mumbles, "Don't call me that," flicking her playfully. She nudges him back as he passes her then closes the door. Rubbing his hands together excitedly, he exclaims, "Let's get crackin'!"

His jaw drops at the sight of the innumerable boxes containing CDs covering the floor.

"This. Is. _Awesome!_" he shouts, rushing to the closest box to search its contents. As he pulls them out, he names off the different artists: "Vanessa Carlton, The Beatles, Nirvana, ACDC, Jully Black, Finger Eleven, Alanis Morisette, The Rolling Stones, Evanescence, Great Big Sea, The Killers, Taylor Swift, Barenaked Ladies, Maroon5, Wicked Soundtrack—what _don't_ you listen to?"

With a little smile on her face, Sam replies, "Really twangy country that doesn't deserve to be recorded. Now, let's get started!"

An hour of grueling work later, an entire wall of the living room is obscured by hundreds of alphabetically ordered CDs and Mikey. Exhaustedly leaning against the racks, Mikey groans and whines, "Why did _I_ have to do all the heavy lifting?"

"What else are your muscles good for besides turning me on?" Sam counters, smirking at him smugly. His body heat rises and he can feel the color forming on his cheeks, a burning feeling gripping his lungs when he remembers the real reason he came here. Before he loses his nerve, Mikey says seriously, "Sam, I have to tell you something really important."

She sits up a little straighter, realizing that what Mikey has to say is truly important, and gives him a nod of encouragement. Closing his eyes, he insists, "You're not going to believe this…" but can't find any other words that make sense. Sparing her a confusing attempt at an explanation, Mikey instead takes off his watch, letting his choice of action run its course. He waits for her to scream and opens his eyes when he hears nothing. Sam stares at him and shrinks into the couch cushions. He reaches out to her yet retracts his hand when she makes no move to come closer.

"Look Sam, I really wanted to tell you but I worried about how you would react," he confesses and goes on to tell his story. "Please, say _something_," he pleads softly after his five minute life story. All that meets his ears is silence, and Mikey looks away from Sam only to have his eyes forced back to the sound of a steely voice so unlike her own ordering, "Get _out_, Michelangelo."

The words stab him in the chest, the pain spreading to every other part of his body. His mouth opens to say something, but glaring at him she repeats coldly, "Michelangelo, I said get out, and you will not disobey me. You _lied _to me."

Regaining his ability to speak, Mikey defends himself, "I would have told you earlier, but I thought you would see me differently if I told you—"

"Do you think that's why I'm angry?! Because I'm _shallow_?" she demands harshly, eyes blazing like icy turquoise flames. Guilty and hurt, he has to look away from her unkind eyes. Drawing in a shaky breath, Sam says once again in a weaker voice, "Leave."

Face fallen, Mikey stands stiffly from the couch and opens the window, clambering down to the fire escape platform. He leaps to a lamp post, then the rooftop across the street with his molecular changer tucked in his belt, almost as if to show he's proud of who he is. The heavy rain has left a thick layer of water over the neon lit city, but Mikey could care less if it was cloudless, snowing, or raining fire. Sam watches out the speckled window as his warped figure disappears against the city backdrop, her teeth clamped shut on her bottom lip.

Mikey raises heads as he reenters the lair with an unreadable expression. Surprised that he's not animated considering he was just with Sam, Leo asks casually, "How did Sam take it?" The loud sound of a door slamming and a lock clicking answers Leo's question.

"That well, huh?" Raph calls to Mikey, and Don shoots him a glare that would give Leo a run for his money. Moving quietly to Mikey's door, he taps on it and calls gently, "Mikey?"

No answer. Don can't help but hear stifled sobs from behind the closed door as he turns to leave his brother alone.

_Wow. Firstly, sorry for the super late update, I'm suffering from severe procrastination. It's fatal._

_Nextly, about the chapter: Whoa. They finally got the truth off their chests, and now life is all kittens and rainbows!!! Ahhhhh...no. Leo's fine, even got some action, but Lily's conflicted and poor Mikey got booted out of Sam's house! Unbelievable! I was pretty surprised with myself when this story took such a turn; it's been fairly light until now. Keep reading to see what happens! Oh, the drama!_

_Thanks for reading, please review! It makes me feel all fuzzy inside! _:D


	16. Make Things Right

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Turtles. They belong to the meanies at Mirage Studios who won't give them to me even though I've sent them a few very polite letters. I even asked Santa!_

…_sorry about that, I promise you I'm not too upset. So, let's do a recap: Sam kicked Mikey out of her house, he's sad, the guys have no clue what's going on, and you all hate Sam. Am I correct up to this point? Well good news, you won't be angry much longer! And no, I don't mean I'm going to drop an anvil on her head. That would be much too graphic._

_That's all I can tell you, so I guess you should simply read to find out what happens. Enjoy!_

_PS-last edited March 17, 2010_

Sam's parents return to find Sam on the couch with her knees tucked up to her chest, her expression pained. Surprised, it takes her father only two strides to reach the couch and he sits down, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Hands clasped atop her knees, Sam whispers, "I made the biggest mistake of my life."

Kissing her hair lovingly, her father rocks her back and forth as her mother comes around her other side, guiding her daughter's head to her shoulder. While hugging her shoulders, her mom asks, "What happened?"

Sniffling dejectedly, Sam manages to utter, "I made him leave. I got angry, let my temper get the best of me, and I told him to leave!" Then she breaks down into her mother's blouse, frightening her parents. The last time she cried like this was when she was battling her brief depression, and they don't want her to go back to that. It was so scary when they found her with a kitchen knife in her hand and a fresh red cut on her wrist, and they always worried afterward. Sam promised them it was the first time and she would never do it again, but they still kept a close eye on her. Mikey made her the happiest thing alive, and they prayed he could keep her from that swirling vortex. It was only a year and a half after her depression had subsided that she met him. Her world was turned upside down.

"Honey, all you have to do is apologize," her mother murmurs, knowing that Sam's talking about Mikey. His hand moving in circles on her back, her father assures, "He's a nice person, he'll forgive you. He knows how much you love him."

_ 'Love him?'_ The thought hadn't fully occurred to her, but the searing emptiness and self disappointment force her to realize: _'I love Mikey. I pushed him away not because I hate him, but because I love him so much. They say that people to that to those that they love. Like I did."_

"I don't think that I deserve to be forgiven," Sam sighs, running a hand over her face. Smiling sympathetically, her father whispers, "Mikey wouldn't want you feeling like this."

"Why not? I deserve it," she insists, rubbing the remnants of tears from her cheeks. Catching her gaze, her mother advises, "Do what you think is best." Sam swallows the lump in her throat and sits up from the couch, walking to her bedroom and closing the door softly.

April starts to the blaring ring of the phone and leaps over the coffee table strewn with papers, answering with a dazed, "Hello?"

"April? It's me, Sam." April's body becomes tense at her name, and voice cold she demands shortly, "Is there a reason you called?"

"Yes, and it's about Mikey," Sam replies. "I know that you probably heard about the other night, and you, along with Mikey and his brothers have every right to be angry with me. I feel terrible about how I acted and what I said, but I didn't really mean any of it. I just…want a way to set things right."

April nods slowly as she takes in Sam's words, the honest sound in her voice convincing her that Sam means what she's saying. Even April had trouble accepting the turtles were real when she first met them, and knows the feeling of having your world turned upside down by someone you meet. Mikey was even happier than usual with Sam, and she wants to get that back. "How can I help?"

Overjoyed that April's offering to help, Sam answers, "I need to get to where they live to talk to him."

Biting her lip, April ponders how she can do it. Mikey won't be thrilled to see her, Leo will be upset that she's leading her to their lair, and Raph will try to knock Sam's block off if she's not careful. It's a tall order, but Mikey's worth it. "Meet me at the Second Time Around Store on Wednesday at six o'clock."

Breathing a thank you, Sam hangs up the receiver and hugs her pillow to her chest. Now, the only problem is: will Mikey forgive her?

_! Sam's gonna make everything better! _:D

_Okay, I just have a public announcement before we move on:_ _I am writing a new story, and I need is __**your**__ help. Yes, you. I need to come up with interview questions for the turtles from TMNT fans, and I said to myself: Why not ask __**real**__ TMNT fans? It's genius! Here's what you do: Send me your suggestions for interview questions by either a message on my profile page, or through a review. Thanks, and please review!_


	17. Is It Too Late?

_Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT. But the New Year is a time for resolutions, so this year I resolve to possess the TMNT by any lengths necessary. I will do anything it takes, and I mean __**anything**__, until they are mine! If that doesn't work, I will simply kidnap Don and enjoy what I can. Muhahaha!_

_So…I left you hanging, now didn't I? Sorry it was so short, but it didn't really fit in either chapter before or after, so it had to be on its own. Now, everything cloudy will become clear! (except of course your wonderings if I'm insane or not, which I think you will have to judge yourselves.)_

_Please enjoy! _:D

_Raph: What is it with you and smileys?_

_Me: I like smileys!_

_Raph: They're for losers._

_Me: __**Smileys are NOT for LOSERS!!!!!!!!**_

_Raph: Alright, alright! Smileys aren't for losers!_

_Me: Glad you agree._

_Raph:…are you gonna put me down?_

_Me: Maybe. _:D

_PS—Last edited March 17, 2010 _

_ 'God, what time is it? Let's see…where's that dumb clock…? Oh, here it is. 7:06 in the morning. Joy. That means another training session. I've missed, what, six? That's weird; Sensei usually gets me going before I've missed two.'_ Stretching, Mikey releases a huge yawn and opens his eyes fully. He grabs his mask off of the night stand and ties it on crookedly, moving toward the mirror mounted on the wall. It takes him a second to recognize his reflection: puffy red eyes, sickly pale green skin and a pathetic sort of expression on his face. He breathes in, clears his throat and straightens his mask. _'I'm ready to face the world.'_

Upon Mikey's arrival to the ordinary kitchen, Raph is startled at the appearance of his brother. As Mikey is usually so lively and cheerful, Raph is almost frightened by the stiffness of Mikey's body as he plops himself unceremoniously into a chair. His attempt at a smile is more like a grimace, and he reaches for the newspaper sullenly, opening it with more rustling than necessary.

_'Newspaper? Since when has Mikey read anything in the newspaper besides the comics?' _Raph wonders, taking another mouthful of cereal. Aware of Sam's cruelty to Mikey after April told him and his brothers what Mikey said to her over the phone the night he came home in tears, Raph pities his brother. Mikey stayed in his room for six whole days. Raph feels a twinge of compassion for his heartbroken brother, having no other desire but to tear Sam's voice box from her throat and crush it in his fist. She hurt Mikey. She _destroyed _him.

Seeing Mikey reading the newspaper surprises Leo as he comes into the kitchen and he exchanges a worried glance with Raph whose amber eyes are swimming with unspoken anxiety. Leo's attention is on Mikey as he boils water in the kettle, a sweet aroma filling the air while he steeps the tea mechanically. Unable to bear Mikey so crestfallen, Leo shifts closer to Mikey gradually and gently places a hand on his shoulder, asking, "What can I get you for breakfast?"

"Nothing," Mikey croaks, concern shadowing Leo's face. Rubbing his shoulder, Leo says quietly, "Okay, Mike," backing down. He's not sure if Mikey will snap or not; this has never happened before, and it's not good to push limits.

Don's worry for Mikey's recent behavior is more than apparent, the scientist who believes in endless possibilities finding it hard to imagine that the chatterbox stayed in his room by himself for six days without saying a single word. He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't witnessed the feat himself. Tentatively, Don asks in an attempt to be conversational, "What's in the news?"

"Robberies, murders, car jacking, rape, scandal…the usual," Mikey replies spitefully, his face hard as he glares at the newspaper. His teeth grind dangerously and Mikey crumples the pages as he tries to fold the newspaper neatly, only succeeding in making himself irrationally frustrated. Mikey throws the paper aside with an agitated growl and folds his arms over his chest crossly. Don picks up the mangled, tea moistened _New York Times_ gingerly and folds it crisply, handing the journal to Leo who immediately shields himself with the business section. His smile almost too perky for the hour, Don enquires, "Hey Mike, you up for a video game."

"No," Mikey replies shortly, but Donatello insists and drags him to the couch, turning on one of Mikey's favorite games. Mikey picks up the remote control unenthusiastically, looking at the TV with a very bored expression. "You ready?" Don asks, a Mikey-like grin on his face.

"Whatever," Mikey mutters, the epic music not gaining a whoop from the usually energetic turtle.

12 games later, three of which Mikey won, his mood hasn't improved, and is quite possibly worse. Don can't understand how Mikey didn't beat him. He wasn't even trying! Sighing, Don runs a hand over his face and wonders what to do next to occupy his obviously sour brother. By this time, Mikey is almost at his bedroom door, ready to go back and sulk. His path is blocked by Leo who notifies him, "It's time for training."

_ 'Wow, he says that as if I actually __**care**__,'_ Mikey says to himself. Grumbling in chagrin, Mikey obeys his brother and stalks into the dimly lit dojo with his three brothers following at a safe distance, careful not to get singed by their brother's infuriated aura.

A pair of padded knees hit the floor hard in front of Master Splinter, and he can tell it's his long awaited son, but chooses not to speak yet. His other sons follow soon after, the candlelight bouncing off his patient whiskered face. As an introduction, Splinter begins the lesson with a lecture on the connection between mind, body and spirit, ordering his sons to meditate. Obeying immediately, Mikey closes his eyes, inhaling a deep breath. _'Calm…serene…connection…focus, Mikey.'_

He shifts uncomfortably at a soft, barely audible voice in his head, followed by a familiar face. Giving his head a jerk, he returns his concentration to the void, slipping into it easily. He sighs in relief. _'This may not be as hard as I thought –'_

She flashes into his mind again. Mikey fumes, tortured by the fact that she occupies his every waking moment, along with all the dreams from his few fitful hours of sleep. She just won't leave him alone! _'Doesn't she have anyone better to bother?!'_

Squeezing his eye lids more firmly shut, Mikey clears his head in vain as her pure singing voice resounds in his head seconds later. With a growl of impatience, he claps his hands over his ears, trying to avoid the sound of Sam's voice, to stop thinking about her. He squirms in aggravation and finally snaps his eyes open and removes his hands from his ears, only to see the rest of his family still in deep meditation, having not even heard him. Heaving a quiet sigh, he traces the cracks of the cement floor beneath him, trying to think of something other than her.

More than twenty minutes later, his Sensei finds him in the same position and asks delicately, "Michelangelo, what troubles you, my son?"

Mikey's brow furrows at the name 'Michelangelo', remembering how much anger had been behind it the last time it was used. Not ready to recall what happened to his Master, he continues following the crevices in the stone floor with his finger.

"Michelangelo," his Sensei repeats. His voice isn't impatient but urging, trying to get Mikey to say _something_. Mikey's finger pauses just as it is about to follow a crack in the floor travelling toward his Master and the turtle murmurs, "I can't believe she _hates_ me, even though I lied to her."

By this time, Mikey's brothers are fully conscious. They're relieved to hear a full sentence from their brother, but Raph becomes furious, demanding, "What d'ya mean ya don't _blame her_? She's the one who acted like an idiot, tellin' you off, not lettin' you get a word in edgewise. Ya know what, Mikey? She doesn't deserve ya, she ain't good enough for ya. She's just a _cold, frigid, heartless bi_-"

Raph stops mid-insult at the sight of Sam in the doorway, having practically appeared out of nowhere. Leo wants to yell _'How the __**hell**__ did you find our lair?'_ among other obscenities but refrains, contenting himself by glowering at her. Not in the least affected by Leo's glare, Sam insists, "Go on. Every word you just said is true, and I need someone besides myself to say what I am. So finish, Raph. I want to hear this."

Raph can't bring himself to say it; not with her right there. _'Stupid guilt.'_

Sam's stiff body is barely visible in the little glow of candlelight that reaches the door, but as she timidly proceeds into the room, they see her clearly. Her usually bouncy, gold and mahogany locks are lanky, her skin pale with red splotches on her face and neck. Her eyes are framed by dark circles and her expression is one of shame. She kneels in front of Mikey to be eye to eye and explains slowly in a thick voice, "I didn't mean what I said, Mikey. I was a little freaked out, and then I began to get worried. If you were hiding something that big from me, then maybe I wasn't important. I worried that maybe you didn't trust me, or you were hiding more from me, keeping secrets. I don't which one I disliked more."

Mikey didn't yell, speak or even move during her explanation, so Sam continues with more courage, "I've wanted to talk to you for days, Mikey—"

"Then why didn't you?" he asks in a whisper, his hands clenched on his thighs. Giving an apologetic smile, Sam replies, "My pride…and quite possibly my stupidity."

Mikey's face turns hard again and she pleads, "Come on Mikey, don't tune me out! I'm trying to fix the emotional wounds I've inflicted on you and myself, and it will only work if you listen."

"Did you rehearse this?" he accuses coldly with his eyes narrowed. She presses her lips together for a moment as tears threaten to well up in her eyes, eventually regaining her calm before she answers, "No."

Shooting her a glare, he snarls to the surprise of his brothers and Sensei, "Impressive, you can grovel at will."

"I know I don't deserve to be forgiven," she agrees and stands up slowly with sobs caught in her throat. In a steady, firm tone she says, "I've wasted enough of your time. I'm sorry, Mike."

With that she leaves the room, able to feel the eyes on her back as she reenters the main part of the lair. "Blindfold me," Sam mumbles to April, not wanting anyone to see her cry. April ties the fabric firmly at the back of her head and Sam feels the burning of tears held deeply in her throat, clawing to be released. She lets out one silent sob before reaching out for April's shoulder, confused when she finds empty air where April was a moment ago. Her hand tenses as a three fingered hand takes hers, and is about to withdraw it when a gentle breath of air graces her ear and Mikey whispers, "That was the most dramatic exit I've ever seen."

Sam prays that Mikey won't take off her blindfold, but of course, Mikey lifts it from her tear filled eyes. Pretending to be exasperated, he exclaims, "Gosh, girls can be so emotional."

She smiles, the first real one that has spread over her face in almost a week, and she returns Mikey's warm hug. Raphael smirks at the pair, leaning on the door frame, and Leo's arms rest across his chest as he eyes Sam skeptically. Donatello smiles uncertainly from where he stands, head cocked to the side, but Master Splinter looks like he's never been happier. As Sam pulls away, Master Splinter says, "One lesson you will learn in life is that humility and forgiveness go hand in hand; they will always find each other in the end."

Sam bows her head to the old rodent and smiling at Leo she remarks, "If looks could kill, I would have died a thousand painful deaths back there, Leo, the way you were glaring at me."

Leo can't help but chuckle at her joke and Don's smile becomes more relaxed. Pushing himself off the doorframe with one shoulder, Raph sits on the couch next to where Leo's leans and adds, "For once that look wasn't used on me!"

Rolling his eyes, Don compliments sarcastically, "We know Raph, we're all proud of your amazing accomplishment."

Sam giggles and Mikey nods, identical grins on their faces and Sam turns to look into Mikey's sweet baby blue eyes. "I've always had a thing for ninjas," she murmurs in a sultry voice and kisses Mikey softly, her fingers playing with his bandana tails. He kisses her back and his grip on her tightens, the damp blindfold balled in his fist. Looking away, Raph begs, "Get a room, you two! Oi ve!"

Mikey pulls back from Sam and retorts, "Get a life, hypocrite!" Mikey is about to return to kissing Sam when his Sensei clears his throat and suggests, "We should get back to training. You may watch if you like, Miss Connahan, or wait until Michelangelo is finished."

"I'd love to. April, you don't have to stay. Mikey can walk me home." Sam replies, and April sends them a wave before heading to the nearest exit. The four brothers follow their father into the dojo and Sam smiles, trailing behind.

An hour later, they all come filing back out, an interesting conversation going on between Don and Raph about who knows what. Mikey makes his way to his room and slips in, relieved when the noise is cut off by the door closing until he realizes—

_ 'Wait. I didn't close the door…"_

He turns around and sees Sam right there, leaning on the door with a small smile on her face. Swallowing the nervous lump in his throat, he returns the gaze, surprised that she's so calm about being in his room. Mikey takes a deep breath through his nose and walks over to her, bracing one palm on the door so his face is just above hers. Sam closes the small space between their lips in one quick movement, kissing him fully. He's surprised by the intensity after only a week apart, and puts his free arm around her waist pushing her up against the door. She holds on for another long minute and then pulls back, whispering, "I guess Raph had a good idea for once."

"What?" he asks, confused to what sort of advice she could be talking about. Smiling, Sam murmurs, "This _is _nicer than kissing in front of your family."

Mikey lets the grin slowly spread across his face and he concurs, "Yeah. It means I can do whatever I want."

Sam squeals as Mikey sweeps her off of her feet and carries her to his bed, laying her down and propping himself up with one arm to be over her. Before he leans down, he asks, "Are you scared?"

"Terrified," she replies, giggling as her kisses her again. They kiss gently for a long time until a knock comes at the door and Mikey lifts his head. Sighing he plants one more kiss on Sam's forehead and sits up, turning on the CD player in the corner and turning the music to a low setting before he tugs her off the bed, twirling her around the room in a dance. The knock comes again, followed by, "Mikey?"

Winking at her, Mikey walks to the door and opens it up, pretending to be surprised when he sees Don there. He works an innocent expression over his face and apologizes, "Sorry we couldn't hear you, the music was on and we were dancing."

"Care to join us?" Sam asks, going along with Mikey's plan. Don shakes his head and replies, "No thanks. I was just going to tell you that Raph's accusing you of cutting the ropes of his hammock. All I know is that he started shouting and swearing and was on the ground when we came to see what was wrong, so I'm assuming that's what he meant."

"It wasn't me!" Mikey cries, holding up his hands innocently. Rolling his eyes, Don assures, "Relax. We pointed out that you were in your room for six days and just felt better less than two hours ago. He's not on the hunt…yet," and leaves with that. Once the door is closed, Mikey allows himself to laugh and raising her eyebrows in surprise, Sam asks, "So you actually did it?"

"Yeah, I half cut them about a week and a half ago, and was just waiting until they broke with his weight," Mikey confesses, sounding proud of himself. Sam giggles and puts her arms around his neck, murmuring, "That's my boy."

"Don't you forget it," he adds, kissing her quickly again before he pulls Sam to the kitchen for lunch. Being one of two decent cooks in the house, Mikey has to wonder how they all ate while he was in his room.

_! Sam and Mikey sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! _

_Aw, I thought it was cute. But GAH! Moody Mikey is so __**scary**__! _O.O

_That was an interesting chapter and yes Mikey's behavior was extreme, but this is his first girlfriend, so I say that it happened like this!_

_Thanks for reading and I'll keep y'all updated. Please review, and happy New Year!_

_Peace ,_

_The Light Of Reason_

_PS-Still need some interview questions for the TMNT, so think, think, think! Your help would be much appreciated, and I might even possibly put one of you in the story _;)

_Very honorable position, don't you think?_

_Thanks again, and like I said: Please review! Reviews are like my oxygen, I need them to live! _


	18. Movie Night

_Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT. They belong to Mirage Studios._

_Hellooo, everyone! Okay, I didn't fall off of the face of the earth, I've just been very busy lately, so now I finally have time to type this story. I've been having an inner conflict on how to write this story, and I've decided to make this short chapter as a wrap up of this beginning to the story and start a sequel just to keep the story alive and make sure it doesn't become a bazillion chapters for one. So thank you all for reading, and enjoy the show!  
PS-Last edited March 17th, 2010_

Vanessa sniffles loudly and breathes, "It's so sad!"

Bored stiff, Leo demands, "It doesn't make any sense! First she's with the rich guy, then the poor guy stops her from killing herself, then she goes with him, and then the boat sinks and he dies!"

"But it's because she loved him," Vanessa exclaims, as if that's the most important explanation. "I cry every time I watch _Titanic_."

"Yeah, Leo. The reason you didn't like this movie was because they had sex in the car. You're such a prude," Sam mutters. Mikey laughs out loud and Rachel pats Leo's arm affectionately. Noisy sniffles from the end of the couch where Vanessa is sitting cause everyone to look over, everyone surprised to see Raph with tears in his eyes.

"Awww!" Sam coos, smiling at Raph. Batting at his eyes to rid them of moisture, Raph growls, "I ain't cryin'! This stupid place is so stuffy I can hardly breathe!"

They're all unconvinced, and he defends, "I mean, are ya all heartless? He _dies_, for cryin' out loud!"

"_You _were crying out loud," Don jokes quietly, and everyone has a laugh at Raph's expense. Glancing at her watch, Lily gasps, "Oh! I was supposed to be home ten minutes ago." She snatches up her things in a flash and plants a kiss on Don's cheek, flying out of the lair with a "Bye!" flung over her shoulder.

"Well," Rachel yawns, hopping up off of the couch and stretching. "It looks like it's time to go. See you all later." Rachel pulls on her coat and kisses Leo goodbye, Vanessa wiping a stray tear from Raph's eye and pecking him on the cheek. Wrapping her arms around Mikey's neck, Sam murmurs, "Goodnight," quietly, pressing her lips to Mikey's for a few seconds. They're followed out the door by a chorus of goodbyes; once the girls are out of earshot, Leo says, "We're picking the movie next time."

"Oh yeah," Don agrees, rubbing his face. Smiling, Mikey admits, "I actually didn't mind it."

"That's because Sam was in your lap the entire movie," Raph snorts, tossing a cushion playfully at his brother. Dodging it, Mikey teases, "At least I wasn't bawling the whole time!"

"Shut up," Raph snarls, popping the DVD from the player. Don picks up the few bowls on the table and brings them to the kitchen, humming under his breath as he fills the sink with water. Lily was so close to him the whole time, and her can still feel her warmth as he scrubs the buttery bowls. She had talked to him earlier about her hectic work schedule, and he was glad she had the chance to unwind with everyone. It's only fair that she gets a break every now and then. She always seems to be working, and she's always tired when they go out. Don is very curious about her mysterious family that he doesn't hear much about. Shrugging, he tells himself not to over analyze everything. All he cares about is that he is here right now, and he has somebody special. It's funny; if someone had told him a few months ago that he would be like this now, he would have thought that they were crazy. _'Life is crazy, I guess,' _he muses to himself as he dries the colorful plastic bowls. _'Love can make a turtle do strange things.'_

"Gah!" he hears Mikey shriek from the other room, and Don doesn't have to look to know that Raph just knocked Mikey off of the couch. Leo enters at that moment, and Don says, "I guess things never really change."

Grinning a rare grin, Leo agrees, "I guess not, Donnie."

_Brotherly/ Boyfriend Girlfriend fluff!!!!_

XD_ D'awwwww! Poor Raphie. We all love him! _

_Like I said, this is to keep my stories from getting too long, and to separate time a little bit. The next one begins about a month or less later, and it will pick up right where this one leaves off. Thanks for reading, and please review! Have a great day!!!! _:D

_The Light of Reason_


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